Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi will be gunning for her sixth and final Olympic gold medal with Team USA at the Paris Games.
Team USA's star guard has been a fixture on Team USA's roster since her debut at the 2004 Athens Olympics. After twenty years and six tournaments, many expected the Paris Games to be her last. Taurasi will lead the United States as they aim for their eighth consecutive gold medal.
Diana Taurasi's last dance for Team USA
“Well, it's definitely it for USA Basketball,” Taurasi shared her thoughts when questioned about the Paris Olympics being her last appearance. On Thursday, Taurasi confirmed in an interview with ESPN's Michele Steele that this Olympic run would be her final one with USA Basketball.
“42, six Olympics. It's just been such an honor to put that jersey on every single time,” she said.
The Team USA veteran elaborated on the effort and dedication required for the United States to secure another gold medal.
“It's hard to put together 12 players that have never played together, practice twice, and then expect to win a gold medal. But we will always figure out a way to sacrifice, to be selfless, to make sure that the end result is to win the gold,” continued Taurasi.
Taurasi during her time in the Olympics
At 42, Taurasi remains a top performer for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and is poised to be a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer upon her retirement. She enthusiastically agreed to join Team USA after the Olympic basketball roster was finalized a few weeks ago.
Winning the gold in this coming Olympic Games would make Taurasi the most decorated team athlete in Olympic history. A victory would also make the U.S. women’s basketball team the first to win eight consecutive gold medals.
Taurasi already holds multiple records for both USA Basketball and women's basketball at the Olympics. Her five gold medals tie her with Sue Bird and Teresa Edwards for the most in Olympic basketball history, across all genders.
Taurasi holds records for the most games played (38) and 3-point field goals (78) in women's Olympic basketball. She also ranks second in points (414), trailing Lisa Leslie's record of 488 points by just 74, and third in assists (97) for U.S. Olympic basketball. To surpass Leslie’s record at the 2024 Games, Taurasi would need to average at least 12.3 points per game.
The 11-time All-Star is expected to be a key veteran leader for a talented Team USA in the Olympics, even though she may not be the primary option on a roster featuring A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum, and others.
Is this the end for Taurasi's basketball career?
Diana Taurasi did not indicate she is retiring from basketball altogether. As a three-time WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury, she continues to play with her team currently in playoff contention during the WNBA's Olympic break.
The Mercury recently opened a new training center and named the court after Taurasi. She mentioned she will rely on her instincts when deciding about retirement.
Team USA fell to the WNBA All-Stars in Phoenix last Saturday but quickly rebounded with a decisive win over Germany in an exhibition game.
Fortunately for Team USA, they won’t have to contend with Caitlin Clark’s playmaking, Angel Reese’s rebounding prowess, or Arike Ogunbowale’s scoring ability in Paris.
Taurasi and Team USA will kick off their Olympic campaign on July 29 against Japan.
Follow Us
Subscribe
