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The legend of Diana Taurasi: WNBA players on the one-of-a-kind trash-talker and champion

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Diana Taurasi doesn’t mince words on the basketball court. She’s known to say things — anything — to get a rise out of opposing players, coaches and even referees.

During the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Lynx last year, the Phoenix Mercury guard made a comment that was caught on camera and became an instant classic. Disagreeing with a foul call, Taurasi pointed her finger at a referee and uttered “I’ll see you in the lobby later” with such Taurasi-esque fervor that a hallway confrontation seemed inevitable.

Within hours, Twitter lit up with video clips, memes and quotes of Taurasi’s now legendary phrase. The moment was even made into a T-shirt. And, in Taurasi’s 17th season, it has only cemented her reputation as one of the funniest and boldest trash-talkers in WNBA history.

“She gets on people. Just some of her combination of words — like, how do you even think of that?” says Mercury guard and teammate Shey Peddy. “Sometimes she might get a technical for it, and I know a few times I’m talking to the ref like, ‘She didn’t mean that. She’s just joking around.’ She can be, uh, pretty ruthless out there. I think that’s what I love about it. She’s got no filter, at all.”

In the same 2020 bubble season, Ariel Atkins remembers Taurasi going on a scoring tear against the Washington Mystics, racking up 15 points in a matter of minutes, when Mystics head coach Mike Thibault shouted something in Taurasi’s direction.

“Of course, she’s talking through the whole game,” Atkins says. “She looks up and says, ‘All right, Mike. Come on, four years ago it would be thirty by now,’ or something like that. And I’m just like, man, the level of confidence she has. She’s, like, mentally different, man. It’s one of those things — some people just have it. Obviously, she has it.”

As hard as Taurasi plays basketball and as steely as her expression is when she’s staring down opponents, she can be just as laidback in other situations, often using humor to lighten up a locker room interview. She is as charismatic off the court as she is ruthless on it. And those who have interacted with Taurasi, whether playing alongside her or against her, appreciate and respect both sides.

“I’d much rather play with her than against her, that’s for sure,” says Atlanta Dream forward Candice Dupree. “She’s a competitor. I always said she almost transforms into this completely different person when she is on the court.”

Dupree loved being Taurasi’s teammate for the seven years she spent in Phoenix. The team joked around a lot, but when it came to the business of basketball, Taurasi knew how to motivate her teammates like no one else. And when she jawed at other players and refs — well, that was just Taurasi being Taurasi.

“I love how she trash talks to players and gets in heads that way, but she can also back it up,” Peddy says. “We all gravitate to her when she’s on the court. She doesn’t sugarcoat things, she’s real. She’s gonna tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear, whether you like it or not. And you need that in your leadership and your veteran players.”

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Taurasi has played with the Mercury for all 17 seasons of her WNBA career. (Phoenix Mercury)

Lindsay Whalen played against Taurasi for years as a member of the Connecticut Sun and the Minnesota Lynx before she retired in 2018. Their matchups were always competitive and physical. But when they played together for Team USA in 2012 and 2016, Whalen marveled not only at Taurasi’s charisma and sense of humor but also at how she approached the game.

“I think the more I got into being her teammate with USA Basketball is when I saw why she is so great, how she handled herself,” Whalen says. “I learned how to be a champion, honestly, from watching Diana.”

Whalen, who won four championships with the Lynx during her career, says she’ll never forget what happened after Team USA won gold in London in 2012. She and Taurasi were standing next to each other in line, waiting for their gold medals to be handed out, when Taurasi turned to her and said, “You know, nobody deserves this more than you. I’m so happy for you.”

“We’re talking about two decades now as the best player in the game and the ambassador, so for her to say that to me is just something I’ll never forget,” Whalen says.

Part of Taurasi’s on-court persona is about exercising her confidence and getting into opponents’ heads. The other part is about winning. It’s a cycle that feeds itself — the more Taurasi talks, the better she plays, and vice versa. It’s a light switch that flips on when the game starts. One moment, she’ll be chatting up a rookie before the tip as if the two of them are old friends, and the next she’ll be in someone’s ear about not being able to guard her.

“I don’t know if it was my rookie year or my second year, I was always shocked that she even knew who I was,” says Atlanta Dream center Elizabeth Williams. “She was like, ‘Oh, hey Liz,’ and I was like, ‘Wait, what?!’”

Williams interacted with Taurasi for the first time off the court during All-Star weekend in 2017 and was surprised by Taurasi’s cool demeanor.

“She can talk to anyone, like it doesn’t matter how old you are, how young you are, who you are, and I think that’s so cool about her,” Williams says. “Then on the court, I mean, she is who she is. You just kind of know. I think people see how she is on the court and think that she’s like that off the court, but she’s really not.”

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(Jesse Louie/Just Women's Sports)

Myisha Hines-Allen got to know that side of Taurasi during a game her rookie year with the Mystics, and not just because it was Hines-Allen’s birthday.

“I was happy to play against a great player like her, but also at the same time just go against her,” the Mystics forward says. “And her first words when I was in the game … I got switched on to her or whatever, and I was like pressed up on her, not helping or anything, and she’s like, ‘So, you’re not gonna go and help?’ And I’m like, ‘Nope, I’m on you. I don’t care about what everyone else is doing, I’m on you.’”

Los Angeles Sparks forward Lauren Cox witnessed Taurasi’s charm in the bubble last season.

“She’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and she’s saying hi to a rookie that she’s never met before — that was really cool,” Cox said.

Mystics guard Sydney Wiese grew up watching Taurasi. When she arrived in the WNBA in 2017, she didn’t know how to separate fact from fiction after hearing about the legend of Taurasi’s on-court personality.

“You just hear her voice. You constantly hear her voice in so many ways, whether it’s to her teammates, the other team, to the refs, to the coaches,” Wiese says.

“I mean, it’s such a dangerous thing to try and talk back to DT. I feel like she feeds off of that. And you don’t want to feed into that fire. I know that she uses her voice to try and get a rise out of people, to try and get into people’s heads. And then if you try and talk back, you’ll feed into another level of her competitively. That’s what I’ve learned firsthand being on the court with her.”

Sue Bird has known Taurasi for over 20 years. The two played college basketball together at UConn, spent time overseas in Russia, won five gold medals as teammates for Team USA, and currently have the longest-running careers in the WNBA. Even though Bird and Taurasi are great friends and they have fun when they play against each other, Bird knows better than to respond to Taurasi’s quips.

“Generally, I don’t talk trash,” Bird told The Athletic in 2019. “But I especially don’t talk trash to Dee. She thrives on that. When I’m on her team and I see people poke the bear, so to speak, I know she’s going to have a big night. So when I’m on the other side, I tell all my teammates, do not talk trash. You’re going to want to. She’s going to push you in ways that’s going to make you want to talk trash. The minute something good happens, you’re going to want to clap and get excited about it.

“I know trying to talk trash to Dee is a lose-lose.”

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Taurasi and Bird made history at the Tokyo Olympics this summer, winning their fifth gold medal. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

For every one of Taurasi’s antics caught on camera, there are so many more that are never shared off the basketball court. Dupree has heard Taurasi say things she can’t repeat, even if they made her laugh. Peddy, too. It comes with the territory when your teammate is one of the fiercest WNBA players to ever lace up a pair of sneakers.

Taurasi has long been the greatest WNBA scorer of all time, leading the league in career points at 9,161 and climbing. She’s also first in career field goals, free throws and 3-pointers made. Those records are as much a part of her legendary status as her cutthroat play and unsparing comments.

Taurasi, in the twilight of her WNBA career, hasn’t indicated when she plans to retire. Until that day comes, there will be more Taurasi quips, more antics, more stories, more shots taken, more points scored and, no doubt, more arguments with referees.

But there will only ever be one Diana Taurasi. That’s a given.

‘Sports Are Fun!’ Questions the Impact of NIL on College Basketball Rivalries

Cover image for Sports Are Fun! with Kelley O'Hara featuring NCAA college basketball transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley.
This week, the 'Sports Are Fun!' crew tackles the effect of NIL deals on NCAA basketball. (Just Women's Sports)

Welcome to another episode of Sports Are Fun!

Every week on Sports Are Fun!, co-hosts soccer legend Kelley O'Hara, sports journalist Greydy Diaz, and JWS intern BJ serve up their hottest takes on the biggest women's sports headlines.

This week, the Sports Are Fun! crew makes some room on the couch for JWS's own social media guru, Gab Basinski. Together, the hosts then tackle a range of women's sports subjects, including how NIL deals and the NCAA transfer portal are reshaping the college basketball landscape.

"The NCAA transfer portal closed last Wednesday, which had over 1,500 players enter," opens O'Hara. "So many moves here, but just to highlight a few: Olivia Miles to TCU, Ta'Niya Latson to South Carolina, UCLA lost their entire freshman class, and Londynn Jones to USC, and finally, MiLaysia Fulwiley to LSU."

"Of all DI players, almost 30% of players were in the portal," says Basinski. "That's insane."

"I have so many questions and thoughts," O'Hara says.

In addition to all those NCAA basketball thoughts, Sports Are Fun! also dives into NWSL rivalries, the crew's growing beef with the KC Current, PWHL expansion, Caitlin Clark jersey sales, and so much more!

'Sports Are Fun!' asks if NIL is taking the fun out of NCAA basketball

Then, Sports Are Fun turned to coaching. The headline? Angel City bringing on new manager Alexander Straus from Germany's Bayern Munich.

"First of all, I think it's a cardinal sin — and that is pun intended — to transfer to a rival," O'Hara says. "Is that not a thing anymore? I could never, as a Stanford player, go to a UCLA or a USC. Absolutely not."

"When there's money involved, it's not it's not personal. It's business, baby," reasons Diaz. "We're seeing a Londynn Jones go from UCLA literally across the street to USC — that's insane to me. I feel like that's one of the craziest moves. So I guess it doesn't matter anymore?"

"To me, the thing that makes college sports so fun are the rivalries, your school pride," says O'Hara. "You are ride-or-die for your school, and it just doesn't seem like it exists anymore.

"I'd be ride or die for whatever school's paying me, to be honest," quips Basinski. "Get a bag. Because also, it's like, 'Oh they value me enough to pay this much for me to switch schools. So the school is kind of behind me, and if they're behind me this much, alright, I'll take your check and I'll go play.'"

Sports Are Fun! podcast graphic featuring Kelley O'Hara.
'Sports Are Fun!' places Kelley O'Hara at the intersection of women's sports and fun. (Just Women's Sports)

About 'Sports Are Fun!' with Kelley O'Hara

'Sports Are Fun!' is a show that’ll remind you why you fell in love with women's sports in the first place.

Join World Cup champ, Olympic gold medalist, and aspiring barista Kelley O'Hara as she sits down with sports journalist Greydy Diaz and a revolving cast of co-hosts and friends. Together, they're talking the biggest, funnest, and most need-to-know stories in the world of women’s sports.

From on-court drama to off-field shenanigans, to candid (and silly) chats with the most important personalities in the space, this show screams "Sports Are Fun!"

Subscribe to Just Women's Sports on YouTube to never miss an episode.

Players Criticize NWSL Officiating After Tense Portland-Louisville Draw

Portland's Jessie Fleming chases Louisville's Ary Borges during Sunday's NWSL game.
Portland's Jessie Fleming and Louisville's Ary Borges voiced frustration with officials after Sunday’s NWSL match. (Troy Wayrynen/Imagn Images)

Concerns over faulty NWSL officiating again took center stage this week, after Sunday's 3-3 draw between the Portland Thorns and Racing Louisville FC saw a league-record 41 fouls called — with only one card handed out in regulation.

In the chippy, physical showdown, Louisville took a 3-1 first-half lead only to see it shortened to 3-2 after referee Corbyn May awarded Portland a penalty kick just before halftime. Portland then drew level with another converted penalty, this one awarded late in second-half stoppage time.

Angered by May's controversial calls, Racing Louisville's Ary Borges garnered a post-match red card for dissent after confronting the officials on the field.

"I do think that match can't keep happening in this league. I think it's embarrassing — it alters the match, it alters the sport," said Portland's Jessie Fleming after the game, remarking on Louisville's aggressive play and the officials' lack of response.

"It's embarrassing for the league, and I think it's embarrassing for Louisville as a club, and very frustrating for us as players."

Following the match, Borges apologized for her outburst via social media, going on to note, "I'm not much of talking about referees because they are things that are beyond our control but what happened today in the match was a shame."

"For those who had two questionable penalties and spent the whole game throwing themselves in and around the penalty box, please take a moment to reflect and not talk about my team," she continued, accusing the Thorns of contributing to the issue by over-selling fouls.

PWHL Unveils Championship Rings for 2024 Walter Cup Winners Minnesota

A top and inside view of the Minnesota Frost's 2024 PWHL championship ring.
The Minnesota Frost won the first-ever Walter Cup in 2024. (PWHL)

With the puck dropping on the league's second postseason next week, the PWHL unveiled the Minnesota Frost's 2024 Walter Cup championship rings on Monday.

The reveal came as part of the league's multi-year partnership announcement with Paris Jewellers Canada, a family-owned jewelry brand that the PWHL has tapped to create its championship rings for years to come.

In order to personalize the championship jewelry, the design of the 2024 title-winning rings included input from inaugural victors Minnesota.

Fashioned from sterling silver, the rings feature an image of the Walter Cup. Surrounding the trophy are 74 diamonds, in honor of the goals scored by the team throughout their first season, as well as 18 purple amethyst stones representative of the squad's total 2023/24 wins.

The rings also bear inscriptions of the May 29th, 2024, championship game date and 3-0 winning score, the Frost's "Win One Game" motto, and each athlete's name and jersey number.

The champs received their rings in a private celebration on Sunday.

"This group will always carry the honor of being the first team in PWHL history to win the Walter Cup," said Minnesota captain Kendall Coyne Schofield.  "Now, we will forever have these special championship rings that encapsulate the journey to the top."

With the 2024/25 PWHL regular season closing on May 3rd, the Frost are locked in a battle with the Boston Fleet and Ottawa Charge for the two remaining playoff spots.

For a shot at defending their 2024 title, Minnesota must win their final two games by defeating both Ottawa and Boston this week.

US Tennis Stars Gauff, Keys Shine at 2025 Madrid Open Amid Blackouts

US star Coco Gauff returns the ball during her 2025 Madrid Open Round of 16 victory.
Major power outages impacted the 2025 Madrid Open this week. (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Though rolling blackouts across the region suspended play at the 2025 Madrid Open on Monday, many top US talents are working their way through the clay court competition to great success.

World No. 4 Coco Gauff dispatched Switzerland's No. 42 Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2 in Monday's Round of 16, exiting the court just before the arena lost power.

"I feel like, at this point, this is only a situation you can laugh at if I was on court," Gauff said after her post-match interview was cut short by a deadened mic. "Because it's probably not going to happen ever again, and we'll always remember the day the power went out at Madrid Open."

Gauff next faces No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in the quarterfinals, where a win could see her swap places with the now-ousted Jessica Pegula in the WTA rankings to reclaim No. 3 — and resume her title as the highest-ranked US player.

The rest of the Round of 16 resumed early Tuesday morning, with fellow US star and world No. 5 Madison Keys taking down Croatia's No. 21 Donna Vekić 6-2, 6-3 before No. 2 Iga Świątek eked out a win against No. 13 Diana Shnaider 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-4.

Keys and Świątek will now square off in the quarterfinals — their first meeting since Keys upset the Polish star in January's Australian Open semifinal.

How to watch the 2025 Madrid Open quarterfinals

The 2025 Madrid Open quarterfinals kick off at 4 AM ET on Wednesday. Coverage of the tournament will continue to air live on the Tennis Channel.

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