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Diana Taurasi's father breaks down in tears after Team USA veteran clinches 6th Olympic gold
When basketball legacies are discussed, Diana Taurasi's body of work has cemented itself due to the incredible body of work she has accumulated over the years. With another Olympic gold medal added to her resume, Taurasi's father couldn't help but feel emotional when he took a picture alongside his daughter and wife.
Despite not playing a single minute in the gold medal game against France, the Phoenix Mercury legend has been an integral piece for USA Basketball. Her veteran presence alone makes her an important addition to this year's team.
Sports journalist Holly Rowe shared the heartwarming moment between the Taurasi family on X, formerly known as Twitter. Upon seeing her father cry, the Mercury guard kissed him on the forehead as they got ready to take the picture.
The 11-time WNBA All-Star has done so much for women's basketball to be what it is today. When it comes to international competition, she hasn't come up short either, with her six Olympic and three World gold medals.
However, the emotions are high, with this year's run being Taurasi's final one with USA Basketball.
Diana Taurasi's brand of basketball gets credited by Team USA coach
Coach Cheryl Reeve praised Diana Taurasi's Olympic career after Team USA's 67-66 gold medal victory over France.
“She’s defined USA basketball,” Reeve said (h/t USA Today's Lindsay Schnell). “And in her final Olympics, the mark that she’s making in terms of leadership, just sharing the knowledge that she has. ... I don’t know that there’s a greater competitor in USA basketball (history). Dee is sorta on Mount Rushmore in that way.”
Not many professional basketball athletes can proudly say they have the same career caliber as Taurasi.
Playing as a 42-year-old shooting guard often means an athlete has lost some of their edge on the basketball court. However, Taurasi remains an incredible standard for longevity in the sport, similar to 20-time NBA All-Star LeBron James.
In her current WNBA season, she is averaging 16.1 points (39.5% shooting, including 35.5% from three-point range) and 4.8 rebounds per game.
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