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WNBA legend Diana Taurasi has confirmed that the 2024 Paris Olympics will in fact be her last time competing with Team USA. With five Olympic gold medals and three FIBA gold medals, Taurasi is widely considered to be one of the greatest players in Team USA history. Given that she will be 46 by the next summer Olympics, Taurasi knows this summer's run with Team USA will be her last.
In an interview with ESPN this week, Taurasi spoke about how the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics will be her last with Team USA. Despite that, it's important to note that after the Olympic break, she will return to compete for the Phoenix Mercury as the team pursues its fourth championship.
Currently, the team sits in sixth place in the WNBA's power rankings, and fourth in the Western Conference, with 15 games left in the season. Leading up to Team USA's first game of the Group Phase on Monday, Taurasi confirmed that these Olympics will be her last.
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"Well, it definitely it for USA basketball, you know. I'm 42, six Olympics. It’s just been such an honor to put that jersey on every single time."
Looking at Diana Taurasi's career with Team USA
Before ever competing in the WNBA, Diana Taurasi won gold with Team USA's under-18 (U18) team at the 2000 FIBA Americas Championship. The win, and accompanying gold medal, marked the first of many for the four-time USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.
After being selected by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2004 WNBA Draft, Taurasi was selected to the 2004 Team USA roster just days before her WNBA debut. The team went on to win gold, with Taurasi playing alongside WNBA stars such as Sue Bird and Lisa Leslie.
The team's gold medal was the first of five that Taurasi would capture throughout her career with Team USA, which has seen her compete in every summer Olympics since the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
To date, she remains the second-most decorated FIBA athlete in basketball history as a five-time Olympic gold medal winner and three-time FIBA World Cup winner, according to the USA Basketball website.
Looking at Diana Taurasi and Team USA's schedule, and roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics
Diana Taurasi and Team USA's 2024 Olympic run will begin on Monday, with the team competing in Group C alongside Japan, Belgium and Germany.
On Monday, Team USA will have its first game of the group phase against Japan, before then competing against Belgium on Aug. 1. The team will then play their final game of the Group Phase on Aug. 4 against Germany, before the start of the knockout round on Aug. 7.
Below, you can see the full Team USA roster for the Paris Olympics:
- Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury
- Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
- Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
- Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
- Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
- Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm
- Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces
- Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
- Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
