Diana Taurasi Announces Retirement as Caitlin Clark, LeBron James and Other Stars Celebrate Her Iconic Career

After the news broke, Vanessa Bryant called the WNBA star the “White Mamba” in a video tribute

Diana Taurasi. Photo: AP Photo/Matt York

After 20 seasons in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi has decided to retire from professional basketball
Following the announcement, stars such as LeBron James and Vanessa Bryant celebrated the WNBA all-time leading scorer through touching tribute posts on social media
While Taurasi has not shared definitive plans on what’s next for her, she did note that she wants to enjoy this time with her family

WNBA star Diana Taurasi has announced her retirement, prompting a wave of tributes from fellow basketball legends like LeBron James and Caitlin Clark.

“I just didn’t have it in me,” the 42-year-old Phoenix Mercury guard told Time in an exclusive interview that ran on Tuesday, Feb. 25 about her decision to step away from competitive basketball.

Taurasi usually starts preparing for training camp on January 1, but she wasn’t up for it this year.

“That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away,” she noted to the magazine.

“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” she continued. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

Diana Taurasi (left) and LeBron James.Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty

The news is reverberating through the world of professional basketball. The WNBA all-time leading scorer is the first player to win six Olympic gold medals, according to USA Basketball. Her resume is filled with awards and honors, most of which she earned after she was drafted by Mercury in 2004 —the same year she was the WNBA’s number-one draft pick. The four-time winning USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year has changed the league with her elite talent and her competitive spirit, bringing more fans to the sport.

“My scoring record, or the six gold medals, someone’s going to come around that has the same hunger, the same addiction to basketball, and put those records in a different way, a different name,” Taurasi told Time of her accolades. “That’s what sports is all about. That’s going to be fun to watch. Hopefully not soon.”

Other top athletes recognize her GOAT energy. Taurasi’s friend, LeBron James, spoke to the magazine about her historic career.

“Just seeing her transcend the game, watching little girls want to play like her, her style, her flair, her bravado, you know, her swagger, it’s been an unbelievable treat,” the Los Angeles Lakers legend, 40, told Time. “She’s one of the all-time greatest, and she will leave her mark on the game of basketball the moment she ties those shoes up and throws them over the pole line. It’s been an honor. All love.”

Diana Taurasi with her Mercury teammates.Stephen Maturen/Getty

When Taurasi’s decision came out on Tuesday night, Caitlin Clark, 23, posted the news on her Instagram story and reacted with one word: “Legend.”

Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, posted a video tribute in which she called Taurasi the “White Mamba,” referencing her late husband’s nickname “Black Mamba.”

“Kobe called you the ‘White Mamba’ for a reason,” said Vanessa, 42, in the video highlighting Taurasi’s iconic career. “You’re a stone-cold killer on the court, who is fiercely competitive, and you changed the game for everyone.”

The Bryant family with Diana Taurasi.Vanessa Bryant/Instagram

With such a successful career now ending, Taurasi wants to focus on her family as she figures out her next chapter. The WNBA star shares two children with wife Penny Taylor, who was also a Mercury player.

“I really enjoy taking my kids to school, being home when they’re home, not leaving for a week at a time,” Taurasi told Time.

The basketball legend is ready for a break, but she noted that she’s going to miss the game.

“I’m going to miss the competition,” she continued, according to Time. “I’m going to miss trying to get better every single offseason. I’m going to miss the bus rides, shootarounds. I’m going to miss the inside jokes. I’m going to miss the locker room, the things that come with being on a basketball team. All those things, I’ll deeply miss.”