Celtics legend ranks Diana Taurasi in top 10 across NBA & WNBA as her retirement looms following 2024 WNBA season

By Orlando Silva

Modified Sep 27, 2024 20:42 GMT

Diana Taurasi's future is up in the air, especially after she was absent from the Phoenix Mercury's exit day following their first-round elimination at the hands of the Minnesota Lynx.

While she's yet to make an announcement regarding her future, NBA legends Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett showered the WNBA icon with praise.

"Diana is one of the top 10 basketball players ever. And I’m talking about men and women," Pierce said on 'KG Certified' on Friday. "Decorated. When you look at her career, college and pro and all that, you add that all up, she's one of the top 10 basketball players. When you say [Michael] Jordan, LeBron [James], Taurasi and Cheryl Miller or whoever's in that conversation. Men and women, she's in the top 10."

Taurasi is one of the greatest players to grace the floor, showing off a longevity not many have had, playing 20 seasons in the W. She eclipsed the 10,000th points mark last season and won her sixth Olympic gold medal in Paris in August.

Sheryl Swoopes includes Diana Taurasi on her WNBA Mt. Rushmore

Besides Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett giving Diana Taurasi her flowers, Sheryl Swoopes mentioned the Phoenix Mercury star as one of the four greatest WNBA players of all time. In this week's episode of Angel Reese's podcast, Swoopes shared her Mount Rushmore of WNBA legends.

“This is my goat Mount Rushmore today, okay? It might change tomorrow. Diana Taurasi, Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson,” she said.

"And it's hard to pick four, that's why I said today, that's who I'm going with. Tomorrow, it might be a different four.”

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This league has seen a lot of talent over the years, with players like Sue Bird, Maya Moore and more having remarkable careers and a big impact on the younger generations.

Diana Taurasi is a one-time WNBA MVP, 11-time All-Star, three-time WNBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and 14-time All-WNBA. She played 565 games, averaging 18.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 42.5% from the field, 36.0% from deep and 87.0% from the free-throw line.