While the WNBA is on pause, one question that remains unanswered during the offseason is what will Diana Taurasi do next. Will she retire or is she up to play another season? On Monday, the Phoenix Mercury veteran left fans wondering after a series of ads that seemed to address her future were released.
Taurasi published an Instagram post featuring several ads for the notes feature of the app with her face that included the emojis of one finger up and the ballerina, which presumably mean “one last dance.” Meanwhile, the caption reads: “Keep ‘em guessing.”
However, ESPN’s Michael Voepel claridied the rumors with a post on X: “The Instagram ad with Diana Taurasi was done before the WNBA season ended and has appeared elsewhere before today. It’s not intended as a ‘message’ about her future plans or anything else, her agent told ESPN.“
Two weeks ago, Taurasi told The Associated Press that she was going to take her time to decide whether she continues playing or not. “I don’t take retirement lightly. I know the minute I say it or announce it, whether it’s, you know, in a month or two months, I’m going to mean it,” she said.
The 42-year-old said that she was “in deep thought about it. I want to make the right decision, you know, and I’m just taking my time a little bit.” However, she added: “And you know, sometimes when the season ends, the last thing you want to think about is the next season.”
Diana Taurasi’s impressive career
Taurasi entered the league in 2004, and won that year’s WNBA Rookie of the Year award. With the Phoenix Mercury, she has won three championships (2007, 2009, 2014), and she has broken several records, including becoming the league’s all-time leading scorer and the first player to score 10,000 points in her career.
She has also won two WNBA Finals MVP trophies, and played in 11 All-Star Games. Meanwhile, she has won a record six Olympic Gold Medals. Meanwhile, her 2024 season ended when the Mercury lost in the first round to the Minnesota Lynx.