Considered as one of the finest women basketball players of all-time, Diana Taurasi set an incredible record on Thursday night. The American basketballer became the first player in the history of Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) to score 10,000 career points. The Phoenix Mercury guard achieved this feat during a match against Atlanta Dream at the Footprint Center in Arizona. Taurasi came up with a 3-pointer off a screen from 28 feet with just 8:23 left in the third quarter to script history. The “White Mamba” registered a season-high 42 points in Phoenix’s 91-71 win against Atlanta. Taurasi currently has 10,024 points to her name.
"It feels good because we won the game. We've been working so hard, and things haven't been going our way this year. ... It feels good for everyone as a group. I just kind of felt good and they were looking for me. And sometimes they go in because they go in, because it's your day. And today was my night,” Taurasi was quoted as saying on the Prime Video broadcast.
Diana Taurasi had entered last night’s game with 18 points away from the mark. She had 10 points at halftime. Taurasi, ultimately, succeeded in completing her first 40-point game since July 14, 2010, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. At the age of 41, she is the oldest player to secure a 40-point game in the history of WNBA.
"On behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans worldwide, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Diana on reaching the incredible milestone of 10,000 points as she continues to author new chapters [in] an illustrious WNBA career. Diana's achievement stands as a testament to her skill, determination, and unwavering dedication to the game, which along with her competitive nature, has captivated fans with her incredible scoring ability, clutch performances, and unparalleled basketball IQ. We are honored to witness this milestone,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in an official statement.
{{/usCountry}}"On behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans worldwide, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Diana on reaching the incredible milestone of 10,000 points as she continues to author new chapters [in] an illustrious WNBA career. Diana's achievement stands as a testament to her skill, determination, and unwavering dedication to the game, which along with her competitive nature, has captivated fans with her incredible scoring ability, clutch performances, and unparalleled basketball IQ. We are honored to witness this milestone,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in an official statement.
{{/usCountry}}Connecticut Sun’s DeWanna Bonner finds herself next closest on the active players’ list with most points in the WNBA. The gap between her and Diana Taurasi is absolutely staggering. The list shows that the Connecticut forward is around 3,300 points behind Taurasi. On the overall players’ list, former American WNBA player Tina Thompson finds herself at the second spot with 7,488 points to her name. Taurasi had broken Thompson’s record back in 2017.
Phoenix Mercury had drafted Taurasi first in 2004 out of UConn. During her glorious stint at Phoenix, Taurasi won three WNBA championships for the franchise. She won MVP of the Finals on two occasions.