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Diana Taurasi scores again in Phoenix Mercury Ring of Honor ceremony

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The Phoenix Mercury always throw a great party. It’s the on-court product that needs improvement.

A three-day celebration of Diana Taurasi, arguably the greatest player in the WNBA’s first three decades, culminated Sunday with Taurasi’s induction into the Mercury Ring of Honor. Taurasi is the sixth such honoree, an elite group that includes her wife Penny Taylor.

 The Mercury losing 88-85 to Portland diminished the proceedings for a season-high 16,513, for some more than those primarily on hand to see Taurasi’s No. 3 jersey retired at halftime and salute her 20-season WNBA career in a lavish post-game ceremony.

But the past and future are intertwined especially with Taurasi, 44, interested in becoming a Mercury part owner. She wants Kelsey Plum to re-sign with the Mercury as much as any die-hard fan to help quickly turn around what now is certain of being a losing season.

“Where else would you rather be?” Taurasi said before the game and reiterated to the X factor afterwards. “You’ve tried the rest.”

 

Plum played seven seasons for the Las Vegas Aces (one in San Antonio before relocation) and was in her second with the Los Angeles Sparks when traded to the Mercury on Aug. 2. Sunday was supposed to be her Mercury home debut but instead she missed a third straight game due to a leg injury that also kept her out of 12 Sparks games (three other LA absences were due to an ankle injury).

“We’re all exited to get KP out there,” Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts said of Plum, a five-time WNBA All-Star and two-time Olympian whose basketball role model growing up was Taurasi. “Everyone in the league and our organization knows who she is and what she’s about. Those are minutes we miss for sure. We were in position to go win the game anyway.”

The Mercury led for 31 minutes against Portland but never by more than nine. It seemed like DeWanna Bonner, Taurasi’s teammate for nine seasons, would will the Mercury to a win only for Portland to close with an 11-5 run over the final 2:39. 

“Every loss is hard,” Mercury guard Sami Whitcomb said. “We haven’t won a lot of games this year. We wanted to win this game as much as we wanted to win the last one. Obviously, you want to win for DT (Taurasi) as well but when you make it about something else, that really doesn’t help. We don’t need any added pressure right now. We’re just trying to win games.”

 

The Mercury were 27-17 in 2025, their first season after Taurasi retired, then went on an unexpected playoff run to the WNBA Finals. Now, they are 13-23 and for the fifth time out of six Finals appearances will finish with a losing record in the subsequent season.

Those include 2008, 2010 and 2022 when the Mercury fell below .500 even with Taurasi after winning two titles and playing for another. Only after the Mercury won a championship in 2014 with one of the WNBA’s greatest teams were they able to finish with a winning record in the next year. 

“I was very short-sighted with my goals,” Taurasi said. “That was to be the best player I could be every day. Everyone wants instant gratification. That’s not reality. The reality is there’s ups and downs, tough times and good times. Whether you come back and keep coming back, that’s what really makes you a true champion. That’s what it’s really about. You’ll get your flowers when they come.”

The bouquets abounded Sunday for the WNBA all-time leading scorer including those in attendance (Larry Fitzgerald, Devin Booker, Michael Phelps, Sheryl Swoopes, Brittney Griner, Val Ackerman) and others on video (Sue Bird, Lisa Leslie Dawn Staley, LeBron James).

 

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver great Fitzgerald, newly inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, also played his entire career with the same team. He and Taurasi became professionals in the same year (2004). Both are Arizona Sports Hall of Fame inductees, Taurasi earlier this year. 

“I’ve looked up to Larry since the day I got here,” Taurasi said. “Larry was one of the first ones to reach out and tell me if you need anything I’m always available. We’re aligned with a lot of our values. There’s no one I’d rather share my career with here in Phoenix than Larry.”

Players or executives including former coaches Paul Westhead and Corey Gaines represented all 20 Taurasi teams. Taylor read a poem she wrote about her former teammate, spouse and co-parent of two children. 

 

“Faults you ask, she has not one, at least that’s what she’d say,” Taylor kidded. “Unless you count her stubbornness of never giving up on the WNBA. And now just look. Our crowds are huge, high pay on and off the court because she believed like you and I that everyone watches women’s sports.”

Taurasi, a six-time Olympic gold medalist, made a lengthy post-game speech.

 

“Tonight feels like the end and the beginning of so many things in my life,” she said. “Driving to the game, I didn’t know whether I was going to suit up and play, whether it was my funeral, a celebration. I’ve come to realize, it’s all of it. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s how I lived every single day of my life, with every one of those emotions in this building.”

Retirement suits Taurasi, more than she expected, likely because of emptying herself to keep playing through age 42. There was nothing left to give or prove and a family for her to fully embrace once she scored the last of her 10,646 points. She also is the WNBA career leader in 3-pointers (1,447) and free throws (2,517) and fourth in assists (2,394).

“It wasn’t about winning in this weird way,” she said. “That didn’t make me happy. Once I retired, I didn’t have this urge to be competitive. It’s been so nice to come home. When I watch games and I see how competitive and stressed and how much anxiety these players have, I understand that. I don’t miss that. I feel like I’m floating on a different cloud now.”

 





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