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Diana Taurasi retired on Feb. 25, ending one of the best careers the WNBA has ever seen. The three-time WNBA champion called it a career after 20 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. Now that she is done playing, fans have taken a step back to appreciate Taurasi's career and her place among legends of women's basketball.
Taurasi was known as a supreme competitor when she played, leading the Mercury to the postseason in 12 of her 20 years as a pro. She is one of the best scorers the league has ever seen, never averaging less than 14 points when healthy. However, one of the few negative attributes attached to Taurasi is that she was a "dirty player."
Taurasi was known for being one of the more intense players in the league, arguing with her opponents, referees and even her teammates throughout her career. She has been the subject of a few controversial and violent fouls as she clashed with the other players, especially later in her career.
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Hard fouls against Marina Mabrey and Sylvia Fowles earned Taurasi the nickname "Dirty Diana." Fans on Reddit discussed how Taurasi would be viewed by history and whether or not her rough behavior would sour her memory amongst fans.
"She’s not Dray level dirty. I think she definitely was an instigator on the court though. Might take some cheap shots. But nothing dangerous. Definitely embraced that villanelle role," one fan posted.
"She was not clean but I wouldn’t call her dirty 😂 she’s been one of my favorite players since the 90s. She let you know she was on the floor and wouldn’t be disrespected but to purposely injure or flagrantly foul someone, no," another fan wrote.
"She was absolutely an instigator but dirty is a stretch. A word thrown out because she would cook your team and talk s*** while doing it," a fan commented.
Other fans took a more negative approach, calling out Taurasi's rough play:
"Just dirty enough, but she wore that on her sleeve," one fan said.
"Dirty, yes. Also the only player I know that has kissed someone during play which is a crazy thing to do," another fan commented.
"She was dirty and didn't hide that she expected the refs to turn a blind eye to her transgressions," a fan posted.
Where does Diana Taurasi rank among the all-time WNBA greats?
Diana Taurasi retires as the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, having racked up over 10,000 points. However, her all-time ranking is tough to determine, given how fans perceive her. Several fans liken Taurasi to the late Kobe Bryant, saying that the two shared a similar obsession with hard work and excellence.
Taurasi joins some well-known names among WNBA legends who have retired, including Tamika Catchings, Lisa Leslie and Sue Bird. The longevity of her career gives her the edge, but players Leslie, Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes have more MVP awards. Further, Maya Moore and Swoopes have more championships than Taurasi.
Several others regard Taurasi as the best WNBA player, but her place in the all-time ranking could arguably slip in the future. Players like Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson have been the dominant forces in the league over the last few years, while upcoming sophomore Caitlin Clark could take her title when things are all said and done.
