Diana Taurasi re-signs with Mercury in multiyear deal
Diana Taurasi has re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury, agreeing to a multiyear contract, the workforce introduced Saturday.
The WNBA’s all-time main scorer has solely performed with the Mercury since being drafted No. 1 by the workforce in 2004.
“Diana Taurasi belongs in a Mercury uniform, and we are grateful for the continued faith she demonstrates in our organization by returning year after year,” Mercury common supervisor Jim Pitman stated. “The way she prepares her body, how much she cares about winning, and how much she cares about our franchise — on and off the court — are just a few of the things that make her a transcendent athlete and quite literally the greatest of all time. We look forward to more accolades, more historic moments, and more wins.”
Signing a multiyear contract retains the door open for Taurasi to play within the 2024 Olympics. Taurasi instructed The Associated Press earlier this month whereas collaborating in a USA Basketball coaching camp that she had her eyes on the Paris Games, at which level she can be 42 years previous.
“I’m still competitive, still driven, still want to play, I still love being a part of USA Basketball,” she stated. “If the opportunity comes to play and be a part of it, it’s something I’ve always taken a lot of pride in. When you get to my age at this point in my career, you just try to win every day. Right now this is a good opportunity to be part of this team moving forward we’ll see what happens.”
If she have been to play in these Olympics she might doubtlessly win a sixth gold medal, breaking a tie with former U.S. teammate Sue Bird for many all-time within the sport.
The 40-year-old Taurasi has gained three WNBA titles in Phoenix and been honored because the league’s MVP in 2009. She’s averaged 16.2 factors, 3.9 assists and three.4 rebounds in her profession. Last season she was averaging 23.2 factors after the All-Star break earlier than having her season reduce brief by a quad damage.
She holds the franchise document in 16 classes and with 9,693 factors in her profession ought to go over the ten,000-point mark subsequent season if she stays wholesome.
Taurasi was an unrestricted free agent, but it surely was anticipated that she’d return to Phoenix. The Mercury nonetheless have to re-sign Brittney Griner, who can be a free agent. The 6-foot-9 heart introduced in December when she returned dwelling from her 10-month ordeal in Russia that she deliberate to stay with Phoenix and play with the Mercury.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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