"It superseds skill" - Diana Taurasi lauds Mercury guard's 'selfless' play following her standout game vs Sparks

Diana Taurasi has been the vocal leader of the Phoenix Mercury, after playing for the team for early 20 years. Her seniority and veteran leadership have been looked up to by peers and teammates so when she brings forth praises, it is considered a high regard.

On Saturday, Taurasi gave off high praises to her teammate Natasha Cloud, who has been one of the steadiest contributors to the Mercury this season.

“There’s a reason why certain teams fit well together. You can’t have too much of one thing, and too little of something else. And what she bring in the table is an intangible that it supersedes skill,” Taurasi said of Cloud.

Taurasi then lauded how Cloud keeps herself selfless at all times to the team's benefit. She also pointed out how she puts the team together through her energy on and off the court, no matter what Cloud’s numbers look like.

“It’s an energy of being selfless that sometimes is so overlooked because we’re so programmed to look at a box score, but there are so many things that affect a basketball game that have nothing to do with dribbling, passing, or shooting. And she is really the heartbeat of our team,” Taurasi added.

Natasha Cloud put up 14 points, two rebounds, and seven assists in the Mercury’s last game versus the Los Angeles Sparks, in which they won with a score of 92-78. Cloud has been averaging 10.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game as the starting point guard of the Mercury this season.

Just like Taurasi, Cloud is one of the veterans of the team, playing her first eight seasons in the WNBA with the Washington Mystics where she won a title in 2019 before signing a two-year, $200K deal with the Mercury in the offseason.

Diana Taurasi looks back at career with Phoenix Mercury

Diana Taurasi has done it all with the Phoenix Mercury. She brought Pheonix three WNBA titles, won one MVP award, and five scoring titles as part of the team for over 20 years.

For Taurasi, who is 42 years old and has been the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, she would go back and live her career again in a heartbeat if given a chance.

"I would say, 'Do it exactly the same,'" Taurasi said. "Life is about ups and downs. It’s never an easy road to where you want to get to.” Life is about mistakes. It’s about getting better. It's about acknowledging things that maybe didn't go your way. That's how you become a better person. That's how you become more confident in what you're doing.”

Taurasi’s legacy is not yet done as she will also compete in the Paris Olympics next month for a record sixth time for Team USA.