Phoenix Mercury retire Diana Taurasi’s jersey in historic ceremony
Diana Taurasi has been honoured by the Phoenix Mercury in an emotional post-game ceremony to retire her number three jersey, marking the conclusion of a historic 20-season career.
The WNBA’s all-time leading scorer watched her famous jersey ascend to the rafters at the Mortgage Matchup Center following Sunday’s 88-85 defeat by the Portland Fire.
The veteran guard used the momentous occasion to reflect on her legacy, admitting the event brought a definitive sense of closure to her playing days.
“When your number goes up there, you can’t use it anymore,” said Taurasi.
“It’s done. So, if there was any little competitiveness still in me, I think today it goes up in the rafters with the number and it feels really good to know that.”
A legacy unmatched in Phoenix
Taurasi’s legendary association with the Arizona-based franchise spans two decades, yielding three WNBA championships and an unprecedented list of individual accolades.
During that dominant era, the basketball icon became the first player in league history to surpass the 10,000-point milestone.
To celebrate her unwavering loyalty to the team, 20 former colleagues representing each of her professional seasons presented her with white roses on the court.
The extensive list of returning personnel included former coach Paul Westhead alongside prominent past teammates such as Brittney Griner and Kahleah Copper.
Sporting royalty pay their respects
The 75-minute celebration featured video tributes from across the sporting world, highlighting the global respect the American commands.
Basketball luminaries including LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Sue Bird and Dawn Staley all provided recorded messages to celebrate the milestone.
The evening concluded with a final address from the three-time champion herself, blending comedy and sentimentality as she thanked those who shaped her journey.
“It’s been 20 years, one city, one team, one jersey, and tonight that number three is on all our backs,” she concluded.