UConn's Tamika Williams and Diana Taurasi celebrate after defeating Oklahoma 82-70 to win the NCAA women's national championship in 2002. UConn wrapped up the season undefeated in 39 games to become the fourth team to finish with a perfect record in NCAA women's basketball history
UConn basketball legend Diana Taurasi is making the media rounds this week, talking about why she’s deciding now to call it a career and retire from the WNBA.
“It didn’t just happen overnight ... the seasons started piling on: 20 seasons, 12 seasons overseas,” Taurasi, the WNBA’s leading scorer, told ABC’s “The View.”
“I think just being 42 and really doing everything that I could have ever dreamt of doing on a basketball court, I felt full. I was happy. I was ready to move on. I don’t know what that looks like, but I was ready.”
Taurasi won three WNBA Championships with the Phoenix Mercury and captured six Olympic gold medals.
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Diana Taurasi cuts the net in San Antonio, TX, after UConn defeated Oklahoma for the first of three NCAA championships with Taurasi on the team.
Taurasi helped lead UConn to three national championships when she played in Connecticut in the early 2000s.
UConn coach Geno Auriemma said Taurasi transcended basketball and became synonymous with the sport.
“For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period,” Auriemma said in a statement. “I’ve had the pleasure of being around her for a lot of those moments, and she’s the greatest teammate I’ve ever coached. I’m happy for her and her family. At the same time, I’m sad that I’ll never get to see her play again, but I saw more than most.”
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Uconn guards Sue Bird (10, facing camera) and Diana Taurasi (3) celebrate their victory over the University of Oklahoma following the Division 1 Women's Basketball Championship held at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX. UCONN defeated Oklahoma 82-70 for the national title.
In a Connecticut Public Television documentary 20 years ago, Taurasi described what would stick with her about her time at UConn.
“The things on the court you always remember ... the game against Tennessee, the Final Fours,” she said. “But I don't think that's the first thing that's going to pop up in my head. It's going to be the bus rides, sitting on the couch, making fun of each other's noses. Just dumb stuff ... That's what I'm gonna remember.”
Here's a look at Taurasi's career through the years, from UConn to the WNBA:
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Duke's Cameron Crazies stand behind UConn's Diana Taurasi as she looks for an open player during a regular season game in North Carolina in 2003.
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Playing for Spartak Moscow in 2008, Diana Taurasi drives against Nadezhda Orenburg in Moscow, Russia.
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USA's Diana Taurasi drives past Australia's Jenna O'Hea and Suzy Batkovic during a semifinal women's basketball game at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012, in London.
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In September, 2012, injured Phoenix Mercury players Penny Taylor, left, of Australia, and Diana Taurasi stand at the team bench during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, in Phoenix. Diana Taurasi married her former Phoenix Mercury teammate Taylor in 2017, then played in the team's season opener less than 24 hours later. The 34-year-old Taurasi played for the Mercury since 2004, helping the team win three titles. She also helped the U.S. win four consecutive Olympic gold medals.
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Mercury's Diana Taurasi, left, speaks during a news conference at the team's basketball media day as teammate Brittney Griner, right, sneaks in behind the podium Monday, May 9, 2016, in Phoenix.
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USA's guard Diana Taurasi poses with fans after the final of the Women's basketball competition in Rio de Janeiro during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
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Phoenix Mercury's Diana Taurasi (3) celebrates after making her 10,000th career point, during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Atlanta Dream, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023, in Phoenix. Taurasi, the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, is the only player in league history to reach the 10,000-point milestone.
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Diana Taurasi of Gold medalists team the United States gestures after the victory ceremony for the women's basketball at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 11, 2024. (Photo by Meng Yongmin/Xinhua via Getty Images)
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Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi, center, walks with her parents Liliana, left, and Mario, right, after a WNBA basketball game against the Seattle Storm Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Phoenix.
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UConn head coach Geno Auriemma, center, stands with associate head coach Chris Dailey, left, and former players Diana Taurasi, second from left, and Maya Moore Irons, right, after defeating Fairleigh Dickinson to surpass Tara VanDerveer for the most wins in college basketball history, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Storrs, Conn.
Connecticut Public's Mark Mirko, Matt Dwyer and Jennifer Ahrens contributed to this report.
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