After 20 seasons and a legacy of three WNBA championships and six Olympic gold medals, it’s official, Diana Taurasi is calling it quits. The Phoenix Mercury icon announced her decision in an interview with TIME, putting an end to one of the most decorated careers in women’s basketball history.
As the game adapts, the new Unrivaled league delivers some of the best pay without a requirement to play abroad, and Taurasi recalled that her time overseas taught her valuable lessons. Having spent a decade in Russia, she attributed this experience with molding her on and off the court.
“I learned lessons that you can’t learn anywhere else,” Taurasi said. “It taught me I can live anywhere in the world and go well with anyone, no matter what the barriers are.”
In 2015, she missed a full WNBA season after her Russian team paid her $1.5 million — much more than WNBA salaries then. And yet, overseas earnings are still just as lucrative, even though salary caps have risen.
With retirement looming, Taurasi has no interest in a farewell tour. “No more arenas after 20 years,” she said.
Her legacy as a trailblazer for women’s basketball is intact, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.
