US Olympic basketball files: 4 things to know about Diana Taurasi

Taurasi looks to earn her sixth Olympic gold medal as the most veteran member of the women’s Olympic basketball team.

Over the following week, SB Nation will be introducing each of the 12 members of the US Olympic Women’s Basketball team.

Here’s what you need to know about the legendary Diana Taurasi.

Fast Facts

Team: Phoenix Mercury (13-12)

2024 Regular Season Stats: 16.1 points (39.5%), 4.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Position: Guard

Draft Class: 2004, pick #1

All-Star Selections: 11 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2024)

Previous Olympic Appearances: 5x Olympic Gold Medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)

College: University of Connecticut — won three national championships (2002-2004)

Diana Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer

Widely considered one the greatest basketball player in WNBA history, Taurasi is the league’s all-time leading scorer — and it’s not particularly close. She has scored 10,447 total regular season points throughout her 20-year career, and now holds a sizable lead over Tina Thompson, the second all-time leading scorer, who has scored 7,488 career points.

That’s not where the accolades end. Taurasi is also the all-time leader in three-pointers made (1418). She’s second to Sue Bird in total games played (550), but only has 30 games to make up and could do so by next season, if she decides to run it back another with the Mercury for another year. She’s also fifth all-time in assists (2327), and is poised to be a lead facilitator on the Olympic team.

“Dee will be one of the best, if not the best scorer in WNBA history, no matter what her scoring number is, no matter what, no matter where she finishes in points,” Sue Bird told ESPN.

Taurasi is also the oldest player in the league

At 42, Diana Taurasi is by far the oldest WNBA player, but remains an elite point guard, averaging 16.1 points and 4.2 assists per night. Taurasi is five years older than the second-oldest player in the league, Alysha Clark, who is 37 and comes off the bench for Las Vegas. Taurasi, in part, credits her longevity to her plant-based diet.

“I have been vegan for about three years now and I think it is something I have really benefited from,” she told Women’s Fitness in 2015. “Just staying away from foods that cause a lot of inflammation, fats and sugars that everyone knows are obviously a little counterproductive if you eat large amounts of them.”

Taurasi has been remarkably consistent throughout her career, averaging double-digits in each of her 19 seasons. That type of longevity is unparalleled in the WNBA, and Taurasi hasn’t shown many signs of slowing down. Her stats for this season aren’t significantly lower than her career averages — Taurasi is averaging 16.1 points this season, having averaged 19 points for her career.

She’s (tied for) the most decorated Olympian in basketball history

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird — longtime friends and teammates at the University of Connecticut — jointly won five Olympic gold medals for Team USA. That’s more than any other basketball player, male or female. On the men’s side, Carmelo Anthony leads the pack with four Olympic gold medals. If Taurasi can help lead Team USA to gold, she’ll be the only basketball player in history with six Olympic golds.

But if not, it doesn’t sound like a seventh Olympics is on the table.

“Yeah, you’re gonna see me in L.A. on the beach with a beer,” Taurasi told WNBA reporter Richard Cohen, when asked about the prospects of playing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

She’s known as ‘The White Mamba’

Diana Taurasi was nicknamed ‘The White Mamba’ by Kobe Bryant in 2017, in what was a recognition of her unwavering poise under pressure. Taurasi has hit countless game-winners and clutch shots throughout her career.

“Every single workout I end the same way with a Kobe game-winner,” Taurasi said in 2020. Three hard dribbles going right, left foot plant pivot, swing right leg through, elevate, square up, follow through.