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Watch: Phoenix Mercury honors Diana Taurasi with heartfelt tribute narrated by wife Penny Taylor, teammate Brittney Griner and more
The Phoenix Mercury honored Diana Taurasi with an emotional video narrated by her wife, Penny Taylor, and teammates, thanking her for her immense contributions to the franchise, having seemingly played her final regular season game.
Diana Taurasi, 42, played 18 minutes, scoring nine points from 3-pointers and adding two assists as the Mercury fell 89-70 to the Seattle Storm in their final regular season game.
Before the game, the Mercury released an emotional video tribute for Taurasi titled "Dear Dee," featuring heartfelt messages from Penny Taylor, Taurasi’s agent Lindsay Colas, teammate Brittney Griner and her sister Jessika. Together, they expressed their gratitude to Taurasi in a letter narrated in the video.
“If this is it—if this is your final regular season game in front of the X-Factor— how do we say thank you 7,427 times? One for every day we were proud to have you wear our uniform,” the letter read.
The tribute highlighted Diana Taurasi's role as the “face of the franchise,” having been with the Mercury for 20 of its 28 years in existence.
“If this is it—thank you for letting us share in the joy. For the banners and MVPs, for 10K, for getting to see you on that medal stand six times. For letting us call you 'GOAT' even though you hated it. And for the technicals where you really got your money's worth,” it read.
“If this is it—thank you for the sacrifices. For the injuries we never knew about. For 365-day seasons. For allowing a city you'd never visited to become your family's home.”
Diana Taurasi’s legendary career includes three WNBA titles, six Olympic appearances, 11 WNBA All-Star selections and holding the record as the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer with 10,646 points, nearly 3,000 points ahead of second placed Tina Charles.
“In playing the right way, you represented a city, changed a franchise, and lifted a league. We hope you felt us behind you every step of the way,” the letter read.
“If this is it—most of all, thank you for doing it all in one uniform. If this is it—thank you will never be enough. But it's a start.”
After the game against the storm, Taurasi addressed the crowd, who began chanting “one more year” as she spoke.
"If it is the last time, it felt like the first time. I love you guys,” Taurasi told the Phoenix crowd.
Taurasi and the seventh-seeded Mercury face the second-seed Minnesota Lynx in the playoffs, with Game 1 set for Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.
Diana Taurasi honored with state-of-the-art basketball court named after her
The Phoenix Mercury earlier this season honored Diana Taurasi by naming a state-of-the-art practice facility in downtown Phoenix after her.
The 58,000-square-foot, $100 million complex features two full-sized basketball courts bearing Taurasi’s name, complete with a custom logo inspired by her.
“This practice facility is about hard work, passion, and greatness, all traits that Diana Taurasi embodies, and we are proud to name our basketball courts after the greatest women’s basketball player of all time,” said Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Matt Ishbia.
Diana Taurasi, the oldest active WNBA player, is a three-time champion since being drafted by the Mercury in 2004.
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