"I was ready to move on" - Diana Taurasi addresses retirement and key reasons behind major career decision 

After a two-decade-long run in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi announced her retirement from professional basketball. As fans and analysts continue to shower the future Hall of Famer with praise and congratulatory messages, she shared her thoughts on the decision.

Taurasi was the No. 1 pick by the Phoenix Mercury in 2004 and went on to spend 20 seasons with the franchise. She built up a long list of accolades in that time, cementing herself as an all-time great in the WNBA.

Following the news of her putting an end to her playing career, Diana Taurasi was a guest on The View on Wednesday. During the interview, she reflected on making the choice to finally step away from the game.

"I think just being 42 and really doing everything that I could have ever dreamt of doing on a basketball court," Taurasi said. "I felt full, I was happy. I was ready to move on."

Taurasi achieved numerous feats during her time in the WNBA. Her most notable accomplishment is being the league's all-time leading scorer and the only player with over 10,000 points. Some of Taurasi's other accolades include being an 11-time All-Star, three-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and one-time MVP.

Given her deep roots within the WNBA, it's likely Taurasi hangs around the game in some form following her retirement as a player.

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Sophie Cunningham makes heartfelt post for Diana Taurasi amid retirement news

Having played in the league for 20 years, Diana Taurasi shared the floor with an endless list of players in the WNBA. Following her retirement announcement, countless former teammates emerged to congratulate her.

Among those to make a post for Taurasi was Sophie Cunningham. She uploaded multiple photos of the two of them on X (formerly Twitter), dubbing the WNBA legend as one of the best people she's ever encountered.

"One of my favorite ppl. LEGEND! love you," Cunningham wrote.

Cunningham had the chance to play alongside Diana Taurasi for six years after being drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2019. She got to witness the former MVP still be productive at the tail end of her career, averaging 14.9 points and 3.4 assists at the age of 42.

Similar to Taurasi, Cunningham also departed from the Mercury this offseason. The front office opted to trade the veteran forward as a part of a multi-team deal three weeks ago. Cunningham now finds herself on the Indiana Fever, where she will play alongside an emerging superstar in Caitlin Clark.

Cunningham's new situation will give her a much different perspective from her time with the Mercury. In Phoenix, she saw Taurasi ride off into the sunset as an all-time great. Now, she's with a bright young talent who is in the early stages of blazing her own path in the WNBA.