"Her name is synonymous with Phoenix Mercury" - Suns' owner Mat Ishbia honors Diana Taurasi's retirement after 20 iconic seasons in WNBA

Diana Taurasi, one of the WNBA's all-time greats, made headlines Tuesday when she announced her retirement in an interview with TIME's Sean Gregory. Immediately afterward, tributes poured in for the Phoenix Mercury lifer.

One of these tributes came from Mat Ishbia, owner of both the Mercury and the Phoenix Suns. Ishbia's message was posted by the Mercury on Instagram.

"She's had an incredible impact on our franchise, our community and the game of basketball," Ishbia wrote in part. "Her name is synonymous with the Phoenix Mercury and she will forever be part of our family."

For the entirety of her 20-year WNBA career, Taurasi played for no other team but the Mercury. Her career averages include 18.8 points per game on 42.5% shooting from the field, 3.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Ishbia also called Taurasi "the greatest to have ever played the game." While the title of GOAT will always be debated by WNBA fans, Taurasi's resume speaks for itself.

After winning Rookie of the Year in 2004, she went on to become a three-time WNBA champion, two-time Finals MVP and five-time scoring champion. One of the best years of her career was 2009, when she won league MVP, Finals MVP and the WNBA title.

An 11-time All-Star and 14-time All-WNBA selection, Taurasi has also been recognized for her community efforts. In 2018, she received the WNBA Cares Community Assist Award in acknowledgment of her support for single mothers and Phoenix's LGBTQ+ community.

Diana Taurasi reveals the moment she decided to 'walk away' from the game

In Taurasi's exclusive interview with TIME, she reflected on the moment she realized it was time to retire.

As Gregory wrote, the longtime Mercury star had a habit of beginning her preparations for the upcoming WNBA season on Jan. 1. This year, however, she felt something different:

"I just didn't have it in me," Taurasi said. "That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away."

Now that she has walked away from the game, it's only a matter of time before the highly accomplished Taurasi finds herself in the Basketball Hall of Fame.