Diana Taurasi, a professional basketball player with the Women's National Basketball Association, is a pro basketball player. She plays for Phoenix Mercury. The team selected her in the 2004 WNBA drafting. She has seventy-nine thousand career points. Six straight seasons, she has averaged 600 points or more. Read on to learn more about Taurasi's impressive career and her similarities to Michael Jordan.
7,000 career points
Diana Taurasi is faster than any other player at the WNBA to cross the 7,000 mark. Taurasi averaged 19.3 goals per game during her career, more points than any other player in WNBA. She is still 482 points away from Tina Thompson's all time WNBA scoring records. Thompson could be surpassed by her as soon as this year.
This is her latest achievement after a season that was plagued by injuries. Taurasi missed eight games of the 2012-2013 season because she injured her hip flexor. She was able return to action at the WNBA finals and helped the Mercury to their first title in 1997. She is also the only WNBA player to have won the NCAA title.
Six consecutive years with 600 points or more
Diana Taurasi is an exceptional shooter who can hit a variety of shots. She is able to hit fadeaway jumpers all over the court. She is quick to find a wide area for the ball and then she moves the ball over her body to the basket side. She then uses her elbows to create space. Diana will often shoot the jumper at the low post or sideline if there's not enough space.
Diana Taurasi is also famous for her amazing passing skills. She is the Phoenix Mercury's all-time top scorer. She is also the league's leading assister. She became the first player in WNBA history to earn double-double scoring and assists. She is the only player in WNBA history to earn both titles in a single season.
Similarity with Michael Jordan
When you compare Diana Taurasi to Michael Jordan, you need to take into account the similarities as well as differences between these two outstanding players. They are both considered to be the best basketball players ever, but what makes them so similar? The most striking thing about the two is their competitive spirit. Both players are motivated to succeed. Their desire to win drives them to greatness.
Diana Taurasi has a competitive streak going back over two decades. She participated in a HORSE contest with Michael Jordan in the early 1990s and missed a free throw. To win a pair Jordan shoes she had to make that free throw. Jordan was not able to take handouts from her. She had the same competitive mentality.
Injury-riddled season for Diana Taurasi
Diana Taurasi, despite her high score average, is likely to miss the rest of the WNBA season following an injury in her right quad. The WNBA's alltime leading scorer was still one game away from her WNBA championship title. But her absence could be disastrous for the Phoenix Mercury. The WNBA had announced that they had signed Yvonne Turner under a hardship contract in order to fill Taurasi's place on the roster.
Taurasi was unable to play in six regular season games. She missed nine of the first nine games after a hamstring injury. She played in three more regular season games after sustaining another injury. This time, she was unable to score, resulting in a single-digit scoring total.
She has had an impact on Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury's impact on Diana Taurasi is amazing. She turned 40 years on Saturday. However, she was able to lead the Mercury to a victory of 90-88 over the Atlanta Dream. On her birthday, she tied a season record with 32 points and six 3-pointers. With 16.1 points per match, she is currently the second highest scorer on the team.
Walker and Peddy play important roles on the team. However, Taurasi has emerged as a crucial part of their offense. Six points shy of the 9,000-point plateau, the All-Star is only six short. Through her first four games, she averaged a team record 26% usage rate. This is remarkable for a player of her calibre. Walker and Peddy, the two All-Stars who will likely be given extra time.