When the 2023 WNBA regular season began on May 19, we knew it was only a matter of time before Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury did what no WNBA player has ever done – score her 10,000th career point. She entered the season with 9,693 points and needed just 307 to make WNBA history.
Considering she’s a player who averages 19.2 points per game and 539 points per season, 2023 was bound to be the year she broke that 10,000-point threshold. With 289 points through the first 18 games of the season, she was just 18 points away when she suited up against the Atlanta Dream on August 3rd.
That game ended up being a night the WNBA will never forget. She scored 10 points in the first half and another five points within the first minute of the third quarter. With 8:26 remaining in the quarter, she launched a 28-foot three-point shot without hesitation and swished it – the shot heard ‘round the world.
She only needed 18 points to reach 10,000 points, but this is Diana Taurasi we’re talking about – we knew she was game for more than that and she proved us right. She finished the game with 42 points and shot 12 of 21 from the floor (6 of 13 from long range). 32 of her points came in the second half of the game.
Breaking Down the WNBA All-Time Scoring Leaderboard
Diana Taurasi is in a league of her own – she has been for a while, but scoring that 10,000th point put her over the top. For those who primarily watch the NBA, 10,000 points might not seem like a big deal – after all, 390 NBA players have scored at least 10,000 points and the all-time leader is at 38,652 points.
To help put Taurasi’s historic milestone into perspective, she’s not only the first player in WNBA history to score 10,000 points – she was the first and is still the only player to score 9,000 points and 8,000 points. In fact, the next closest player has 7,488 points and the next closest active player has 6,718 points.
What’s even more crazy is that she’s not done yet. She still has that same drive and passion for the game that she had as a rookie. She’s still looking to improve on a day-to-day basis and has so much more she wants to achieve. She’s 41 years old, but plays like she’s 21 and is showing no signs of slowing down.
To honor Taurasi’s excellence and pay tribute to those who came before her, let’s take a look at what the WNBA’s all-time scoring leaderboard looks like today – more specifically, we’re going to take a look at the 20 players in WNBA history who have scored at least 5,500 points in their career.
20. Lindsay Whalen – 5,523 points
Lindsay Whalen was drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 15 seasons in the league – nine years with the Minnesota Lynx and six with the Sun. She retired after the 2018 season with 5,523 points, 1,814 rebounds, 2,345 assists, and 501 steals.
Whalen averaged 11.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.0 steals in 28.3 minutes per game (480 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 57 games and at least 30 points in two games – she had a career-high 33 points against the Shock on July 24, 2007 and against the Mystics on July 13, 2008.
19. Katie Douglas – 5,563 points
Katie Douglas was drafted by the Orlando Miracle with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 14 years in the league – 8 years with the Miracle/Sun and 6 with the Indiana Fever. She retired after the 2014 season with 5,563 points, 1,569 rebounds, 1,075 assists, and 623 steals.
Douglas averaged 13.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game (412 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 78 of those games and at least 30 points in five of those games – including a career-high 35 points against the Washington Mystics on July 28, 2009.
18. DeLisha Milton-Jones – 5,571 points
DeLisha Milton-Jones was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks with the No. 4 overall pick in the 1999 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 17 years in the league with five different teams. She retired after the 2015 season with 5,571 points, 2,574 rebounds, 921 assists, 619 steals, and 339 blocks in her career.
Milton-Jones averaged 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 28.8 minutes per game (499 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 44 of those games and at least 30 points in one of those games – a career-high 38 points against the Phoenix Mercury on July 17, 2008.
17. Nneka Ogwumike – 5,766 points
Nneka Ogwumike was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft and is currently playing in her 12th season in the league – all of which with the Sparks. As of August 16, 2023, she has 5,766 points, 2,625 rebounds, 693 assists, 535 steals, and 218 blocks in her career.
Ogwumike is averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 29.6 minutes per game (349 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 114 of those games and at least 30 points in nine of those games – including a career-high 38 points against the Atlanta Dream on June 30, 2016.
16. Angel McCoughtry – 5,797 points
Angel McCoughtry was drafted by the Atlanta Dream with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft and has spent 13 seasons in the league – 10 years with the Dream, 2 years with the Aces, and 1 year with the Lynx. She currently has 5,797 points, 1,561 rebounds, 916 assists, 627 steals, and 193 blocks.
McCoughtry is averaging 18.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 28.0 minutes per game (311 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 145 of those games and at least 30 points in 32 of those games – including a career-high 39 points against the New York Liberty on June 19, 2018.
15. Becky Hammon – 5,841 points
Becky Hammon went undrafted in the 1999 WNBA Draft, but was signed as a free agent by the New York Liberty 8 days later. She spent 16 years in the league – 8 years with the Liberty and 8 years with the Stars. She retired after the 2014 season with 5,841 points, 1,111 rebounds, 1,708 assists, and 488 steals.
Hammon averaged 13.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.1 steals in 27.9 minutes per game (450 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 96 of those games and at least 30 points in 11 of those games – including a career-high 38 points in an OT loss to the Sacramento Monarchs on July 30, 2009.
14. Seimone Augustus – 6,005 points
Seimone Augustus was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 15 years in the league – 14 years with the Lynx and one year with the Sparks. She retired after the 2020 season with 6,005 points, 1,228 rebounds, 911 assists, and 281 steals.
Augustus averaged 15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.7 steals in 28.8 minutes per game (391 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 109 of those games and at least 30 points in 13 of those games – including a career-high 39 points in a win against the Sacramento Monarchs on July 29, 2007.
13. Lauren Jackson – 6,007 points
Lauren Jackson was drafted by the Seattle Storm with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 12 years in the league – all of which with the Storm. She retired after the 2012 season with 6,007 points, 2,444 rebounds, 435 assists, 360 steals, and 586 blocks during her career.
Jackson averaged 18.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.8 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game (317 games played). She was a three-time MVP, 7-time All-Star, and was a two-time WNBA champion with the Storm in 2004 and 2010. She scored a career-high 47 points on July 24, 2007.
12. Lisa Leslie – 6,263 points
Lisa Leslie was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 1997 WNBA Allocation Draft and went on to spend 12 years in the league – all of which with the Sparks. She retired after the 2009 season with 6,263 points, 3,307 rebounds, 874 assists, 492 steals, and 822 blocks during her legendary and iconic career.
Leslie averaged 17.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.3 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game (363 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 126 of those games and at least 30 points in 14 of those games – including a career-high 41 points against the San Antonio Stars on June 25, 2006.
11. Sylvia Fowles – 6,415 points
Sylvia Fowles was drafted by the Chicago Sky with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 15 years in the league – 8 years with the Minnesota Lynx and 7 years with the Sky. She retired after the 2022 season with 6,415 points, 4,007 rebounds, 461 assists, 490 steals, and 721 blocks.
Fowles averaged 15.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game (408 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 108 of those games and at least 30 points in 10 of those games – including a career-high 35 points against the Phoenix Mercury on August 1, 2010.
10. Katie Smith – 6,452 points
Katie Smith was drafted by the Minnesota Lynx during the 1999 WNBA Allocation Draft and went on to spend 15 seasons in the league with the Lynx, Shock, Storm, Liberty, and Mystics. She retired after the 2013 season with 6,452 points, 1,383 rebounds, 1,258 assists, 408 steals, and 78 blocks in her career.
Smith averaged 13.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 32.6 minutes per game (482 games played). She was a 7-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion in her career – both of which with the Detroit Shcok in 2006 and 2008. She was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
9. Candace Parker – 6,574 points
Candace Parker was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft and is currently playing in her 16th season – 13 years with the Sparks, 2 years with the Sky, and 1 year with the Aces. She has 6,574 points, 3,467 rebounds, 1,634 assists, 523 steals, and 619 blocks.
Parker is averaging 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.5 blocks in 30.4 minutes per game (410 games played). She has scored at least 20 points in 127 of those games and at least 30 points in 18 of those games – including a career-high 40 points against the Comets on July 9, 2008.
8. DeWanna Bonner – 6,718 points
DeWanna Bonner was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft and is currently playing in her 14th season in the league – 10 years with the Mercury and 4 years with the Sun. She has 6,718 points, 2,758 rebounds, 1,035 assists, 547 steals, and 300 blocks.
Bonner is averaging 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game (452 games played). She has scored at least 20 points in 123 of those games and at least 30 points in 16 of those games – including a career-high 41 points against the Aces on June 8, 2023.
7. Sue Bird – 6,803 points
Sue Bird was drafted by the Seattle Storm as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 19 years in the league – all of which with the Storm. She retired after the 2022 season with 6,803 points, 1,466 rebounds, 3,234 assists, 725 steals, and 71 blocks during her legendary career.
Bird averaged 11.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals in 31.2 minutes per game (580 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 65 of those games and at least 30 points in two of those games – she had 31 points vs. the Mercury on July 8, 2012 and 33 points vs. the Fire on August 9, 2002.
6. Cappie Pondexter – 6,811 points
Cappie Pondexter was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 13 years in the league – most of which with the Liberty, Mercury, and Sky. She retired after the 2018 season with 6,811 points, 1,520 rebounds, 1,578 assists, 409 steals, and 72 blocks.
Pondexter averaged 16.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 30.7 minutes per game (416 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 152 of those games and at least 30 points in 20 of those games – including a career-high 40 points in an OT loss against the New York Liberty on July 18, 2010.
5. Candice Dupree – 6,895 points
Candice Dupree was drafted by the Chicago Sky with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 16 years in the league with the Mercury, Sky, Fever, Storm, and Dream. She retired after the 2021 season with 6,895 points, 3,144 rebounds, 904 assists, 431 steals, and 318 blocks.
Dupree averaged 14.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 30.7 minutes per game (494 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 92 of those games and at least 30 points in four of those games – including a career-high 32 points in a double-OT win vs. the Lynx on July 24, 2010.
4. Tina Charles – 7,115 points
Tina Charles was drafted by the Connecticut Sun with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 12 years in the league with the Liberty, Sun, Mystics, Storm, and Mercury. She retired after the 2022 season with 7,115 points, 3,640 rebounds, 870 assists, 314 steals, and 389 blocks.
Charles averaged 18.2 points, 93 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.0 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game (391 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 166 of those games and at least 30 points in 23 of those games – including a career-high 36 points against the Dallas Wings on June 2, 2017.
3. Tamika Catchings – 7,380 points
Tamika Catchings was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2001 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 15 seasons in the league – all of which with the Fever. She retired after the 2016 season with 7,380 points, 3,315 rebounds, 1,488 assists, 1,074 steals, and 385 blocks in her career.
Catchings averaged 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game (457 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 138 of those games and at least 30 points in 10 of those games – including a career-high 32 points on four separate occasions (2002 x2, 2003, 2011).
2. Tina Thompson – 7,488 points
Tina Thompson was drafted by the Houston Comets with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 WNBA Draft and went on to spend 17 years in the league – 12 years with the Comets, 3 with the Sparks, and 2 with the Storm. She retired with 7,488 points, 3,070 rebounds, 804 assists, 453 steals, and 372 blocks.
Thompson averaged 15.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 32.4 minutes per game (496 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 113 of those games and at least 30 points in 15 of those games – including a career-high 37 points against the Phoenix Mercury on August 10, 2006.
1. Diana Taurasi – 10,088 points
Diana Taurasi was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft and is currently playing in her 19th season – all with the Mercury. As of August 16, 2023, she has 10,088 points, 2,063 rebounds, 2,262 assists, 495 steals, and 341 blocks in her legendary and iconic career.
Taurasi is averaging 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game (526 games played). She scored at least 20 points in 250 (!!!) of those games and at least 30 points in 53 (!!!) of those games – including a career-high 47 points against the Comets on August 10, 2006.
Which WNBA Players Will Crack This List in the Future?
In her post-game interview on August 3, Diana Taurasi acknowledged the fact that her all-time scoring record will be broken at some point in the future. It won’t come easy and will take a special player to reach 10,000 points, but it’s something that will happen and there are several active players who might do it.
Of the 20 WNBA players in the top-20 (listed above), only three of them are actively playing in the league today – DeWanna Bonner (6,718 points), Candace Parker (6,574 points), and Nneka Ogwumike (5,766 points). Ogwumike has the best chance, but all three of them are likely to fall short of 10,000 points.
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With that said, Breanna Stewart is a name to keep an eye on – she’s not even halfway there with 4,421 points, but is only seven years into her career and can easily score 600-700 points per year. A’ja Wilson is another name to keep an eye one – she has just 3,485 points, but is only six years into her career.
Diana Taurasi Will Return for a 20th Season in the WNBA — Here’s a Look Back at Her Legendary Career
Diana Taurasi is one of the greatest players in WNBA history – there’s no denying it. She became the first player to eclipse 10,000 career points in August and ended her 19th season with 16.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game, despite turning 41 years old in June and missing 14 games to injury.
Aside from being the league’s all-time leading scorer, she holds records for most career field goals made (3,169), three-point field goals made (1,361), and free throws (2,409). While she’ll never break Sue Bird’s record for most career assists, there are a few records owned by Bird that Taurasi might break soon.
Those records are games played and minutes played. When Bird retired at the end of last season, she had 580 games played and 18,080 minutes played. Taurasi ended the 2023 season 52 games short and 1,803 minutes short of breaking those records – she’ll need 2-3 more seasons to do it, but it’s possible.
Diana Taurasi Announces Her Intent to Play in 2024
Playing 2-3 more seasons will be challenging for a player who’s already 41 years old, but the good news is she has already announced her intent to play in 2024 – which means we’ll at least get one more year of Taurasi on the floor. And as long as Taurasi is on the floor, you know she’s going to give 110% full effort.
“I’ve got another year on my contract and I’m definitely going to fulfill that. I’m excited with what we’ll be able to do in free agency and having some salary cap space to make some moves,” she said at the end of the season. She also announced her intent to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The grind doesn’t stop for Diana Taurasi and it’s a big reason why she’s the star we see today – I mean we’re talking about a former Rookie of the Year, 2009 MVP, 3-time champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 10-time All-Star, 5-time scoring champion, 2014 assists leader, and 6-time WNBA Peak Performer. She does it all.
To commemorate all she has done for the game as she prepares for her 20th season in the WNBA, let’s take a look at what she has accomplished over the past 19 years.
1. 2004 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks in 33.2 minutes per game (34 games played) during the 2004 season – her rookie season. She shot 42% from the field, 33% from long range, and 76% from the free throw line. The Phoenix Mercury finished the season 17-17.
Her season highs were 29 points (July 1), 11 rebounds (Sept. 3), 8 assists (twice), 3 steals (3 times), and 4 blocks (July 3). She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft, won Rookie of the Year, was named to the All-WNBA First Team, and even won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
2. 2005 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 33.0 minutes per game (33 games played) during the 2005 season. She shot 41% from the floor, 31% from beyond the three-point line, and 80% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 16-18 record.
Her season highs were 31 points (Aug. 27), 9 rebounds (Aug. 5), 8 assists (4 times), 4 steals (June 18), and 3 blocks (May 21). She scored at least 20 points in seven games (compared to 13 the year before), was named an All-Star for the first time in her career, and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team.
3. 2006 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged a career-high 25.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 33.9 minutes per game (34 games) during the 2006 season. She shot 45% from the floor, 40% from the three-point line, and 78% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with an 18-16 record.
Her season highs were 47 points (Aug. 10), 9 rebounds (July 9), 9 assists (Aug. 10), 7 steals (Aug. 8), and 4 blocks (July 16). She was named an All-Star for the second time, was named to the All-WNBA First Time for the second time, was the WNBA’s leading scorer, and was named the WNBA Peak Performer.
She also won a bronze medal with the United States at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Brazil and was named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year for the first time.
4. 2007 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 19.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 32.0 minutes per game (32 games) during the 2007 season. She shot 44% from the floor, 37% from long range, and 84% from the charity stripe. Phoenix went 23-11 in the regular season before winning the WNBA Finals.
Her season highs were 37 points (May 25), 9 rebounds (July 11), 9 assists (twice), 6 steals (July 8), and 4 blocks (July 25). In addition to winning her first WNBA championship, Taurasi was named an All-Star for the third time, the All-WNBA First Team for the third time, and WNBA Peak Performer for the second time.
She was also a EuroLeague champion for the first time, a Russian National League champion for the first time, and the Russian League Player of the Year for the first time.
5. 2008 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 24.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 31.9 minutes per game (34 games) during the 2008 season. She shot 45% from the floor, 36% from beyond the three-point line, and 87% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 16-18 record.
Her season highs were 37 points (June 11), 10 rebounds (twice), 9 assists (June 26), 3 steals (4 times), and 5 blocks (Sept. 3). Taurasi scored at least 30 points on 10 occasions, was named to the All-WNBA First Team for the fourth time, and was the league’s leading scorer for the second time in her career.
She also won her second gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, was a EuroLeague champion for the second time, a Russian National League champion for the second time, and the Russian League Player of the Year for the second time.
6. 2009 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 20.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game (31 games) during the 2009 season. She shot 46% from the floor, 41% from long range, and 90% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season 23-11 before winning the WNBA Finals.
Her season highs were 34 points (July 26), 13 rebounds (July 26), 7 assists (3 times), 5 steals (Sept. 10), and 5 blocks (June 21). In addition to winning her second WNBA championship, she was named Finals MVP, regular season MVP, an All-Star, and to the All-WNBA First Team. She was also the league’s leading scorer and the WNBA Peak Performer.
She was also a EuroLeague champion for the third time and Russian League Player of the Year for the third time.
7. 2010 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 22.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game (31 games played) during the 2010 season. She shot 43% from the floor, 37% from beyond the three-point line, and 91% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 15-19 record.
Her season highs were 44 points (July 14), 7 rebounds (5 times), 11 assists (Aug. 1), 4 steals (twice), and 2 blocks (6 times). She was named to the All-WNBA First Team for the sixth time in her career, was the league’s leading scorer for the fourth time in her career, and was named the league’s Peak Performer.
She was also a EuroLeague champion for the fourth time in her career, won a gold medal with the United States at the 2010 FIBA World Championship in the Czech Republic, and was named the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.
8. 2011 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 21.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 30.2 minutes per game (32 games played) during the 2011 season. She shot 45% from the floor, 40% from beyond the three-point line, and 90% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 19-15 record.
Her season highs were 36 points (Sept. 9), 8 rebounds (twice), 8 assists (July 13), 3 steals (twice), and 4 blocks (Sept. 11). She was named an All-Star for the fifth time, was named to the All-WNBA First Team for the seventh time, was the league’s scoring leader for the fifth time, and was the WNBA’s Peak Performer.
She was also named to the WNBA 15th Anniversary Team and was a Turkish National League champion for the first time.
9. 2012 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 14.0 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 20.8 minutes per game (8 games played) during the 2012 season. She shot 44% from the floor, 40% from beyond the three-point line, and 90% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 7-27 record.
Taurasi’s 2012 campaign was riddled with a strained left hip flexor that kept her out most of the season, which is why the Mercury finished with the second-worst record in the league. She only played eight games and had more than 20 points once in those games – scoring 25 points against the Silver Stars.
She was a Turkish Cup winner, won her third gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and was named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year for the third time.
10. 2013 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 20.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 32.3 minutes per game (32 games played) during the 2013 season. She shot 46% from the floor, 35% from beyond the three-point line, and 85% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 19-15 record.
Her season highs were 34 points (June 14), 9 rebounds (3 times), 11 assists (Aug. 14), 3 steals (June 16), and 5 blocks (Aug. 31). She finished the season with four double-doubles, was named an All-Star for the sixth time in her career and made the All-WNBA First Time for the eighth time in her career.
She was also a EuroLeague champion for the fifth time, a Russian National League champion for the third time, and a Russian Cup winner for the first time.
11. 2014 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 16.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 30.8 minutes per game (33 games) during the 2014 season. She shot 45% from the floor, 37% from long range, and 87% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season 29-4 before winning the WNBA Finals.
Her season highs were 32 points (July 6), 10 rebounds (June 18), 12 assists (June 20), 3 steals (May 18), and 2 blocks (June 15). In addition to winning her third WNBA championship, Taurasi was named Finals MVP, was an All-Star, the All-WNBA First Team, the WNBA Peak Performer, and led the league in assists.
She was also a Russian National League champion for the fourth time in her career, a Russian Cup winner for the second time, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA World Championship in Turkey.
12. 2016 Season
**Diana Taurasi sat out the 2015 season at the request of her Russian team, who paid her handsomely for committing to their team for the year**
Diana Taurasi averaged 17.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game (33 games played) during the 2016 season. She shot 40% from the field, 35% from beyond the three-point line, and 91% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 16-18 record.
Her season highs were 32 points (May 18), 7 rebounds (twice), 9 assists (May 31), 3 steals (twice), and 1 block (four times). She scored at least 20 points on 11 occasions, was named to the All-WNBA Second Team for the second time in her career, and was named a member of the WNBA 20th Anniversary Team.
She was also a EuroLeague champion for the sixth time in her career, a Russian National League champion for the sixth time in her career, won her fourth gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and was named USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year for the fourth time.
13. 2017 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 17.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks in 28.5 minutes per game (31 games played) during the 2017 season. She shot 40% from the floor, 38% from beyond the three-point line, and 91% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with an 18-16 record.
Her season highs were 37 points (June 1), 6 rebounds (five times), 7 rebounds (Aug. 10), 2 steals (three times), and 3 blocks (Aug. 10). She scored at least 20 points in nine games, was named an All-Star for the eighth time in her career, and named to the All-WNBA Second Team for the third time in her career.
She was also a Russian National League champion for the seventh time in her career and was a Russian Cup winner for the third time in her career.
14. 2018 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 20.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 30.0 minutes per game (33 games played) during the 2018 season. She shot 45% from the floor, 38% from beyond the three-point line, and 93% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 20-14 record.
Her season highs were 37 points (Aug. 1), 8 rebounds (July 15), 14 assists (twice), 3 steals (twice), and 2 blocks (June 22). She scored at least 20 points on 20 occasions, was named an All-Star for the ninth time in her career, and was named to the All-WNBA First Team for the 10th time in her career. She also won a gold medal at the 2018 FIBA World Championship in Spain.
15. 2019 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 21.5 minutes per game (6 games played) during the 2019 season. She shot 10% from the floor, 0.4% from beyond the three-point line, and 94% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 15-19 record.
Taurasi started the 2019 season recovering from back surgery in the offseason, but the injuries continued once she returned. A hamstring injury kept her out most of the season (she only played in six games). Despite being 37 years old, she committed to returning the following year instead of calling it quits.
16. 2020 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 18.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks in 28.1 minutes per game (19 games played) during the 2020 season. She shot 41% from the floor, 37% from beyond the three-point line, and 91% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 13-9 record.
Her season highs were 34 points (Aug. 23), 12 rebounds (Aug. 30), 10 assists (July 31), 4 steals (July 29), and 2 blocks (three times). She scored at least 20 points in 8 of the 19 games she played in and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team for the fourth time in her career. She also won her fifth gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
17. 2021 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 28.4 minutes per game (16 games played) during the 2021 season. She shot 37% from the floor, 34% from beyond the three-point line, and 86% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 19-13 record.
Her season highs were 25 points (June 27), 10 rebounds (Aug. 21), 9 assists (Aug. 25), 1 steal (three times), and 3 blocks (May 14) – she only played half the season due to a chest and ankle injury. Despite that, she was named an All-Star for the 10th time in her career and was named to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team.
18. 2022 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 16.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 31.0 minutes per game (31 games played) during the 2022 season. She shot 37% from the floor, 34% from beyond the three-point line, and 89% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 15-21 record.
Her season highs were 32 points (June 3), 7 rebounds (three times), 9 assists (May 6), 3 steals (July 22), and 2 blocks (four times) – she remained healthy and only missed five of the team’s 36 games). This was the season that Brittney Griner spent in Russian detainment, which is why the Mercury struggled.
19. 2023 Season
Diana Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 27.3 minutes per game (26 games played) during the 2023 season. She shot 40% from the floor, 34% from beyond the three-point line, and 85% from the charity stripe. The Mercury finished the season with a 9-31 record.
Her season highs were 42 points (August 3), 7 rebounds (May 19), 10 assists (May 25), 2 steals (twice), and 2 blocks (twice) – she missed seven of the team’s final eight games due to a toe injury and battled other injuries earlier in the year. Still, she became the first WNBA player to score 10,000 career points.
What Can We Expect From Diana Taurasi in 2024?
Diana Taurasi might be entering her 20th season in the WNBA next year, but don’t let that fool you – she still plays with the type of passion and energy that you typically only see in rookies. And while she hasn’t averaged 20 points per game since the 2018 season, she still scores a consistent 16 points per game.
With that said, I wouldn’t expect her to play a full season – she has only played in a total of 98 out of a possible 164 games since 2019. She has also only averaged 30+ minutes per game once over the past five seasons – seeing that number dip to a career-low 27.8 minutes per game during the 2023 season.
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If she can stay somewhat healthy, expect her to average around 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. She’ll likely be surrounded by some young talent next year, considering the Phoenix Mercury finished with the worst record in the league last season. Don’t worry, Brittney Griner should be back too!
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