UConn's Geno Auriemma Gets Honest About Diana Taurasi Retiring From WNBA

UConn Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma spoke about his former player Diana Taurasi retiring from the WNBA.

Nov 20, 2024; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma waves to the crowd before a game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images | Mark Smith-Imagn Images

On February 25, it was revealed that WNBA legend Diana Taurasi would be retiring after 20 seasons spent with the Phoenix Mercury.

Taurasi cemented her legacy as one of the WNBA's greatest all-time players through her extraordinary professional resumé that includes three WNBA championships, two WNBA Finals MVP awards, 11 WNBA All-Star appearances, five WNBA scoring championships, and six Olympics gold medals with Team USA.

BREAKING: Diana Taurasi has announced she is retiring from basketball, she told TIME.

“I just didn’t have it in me,” Taurasi said. “That was pretty much when I knew it was time to walk away.”https://t.co/MuhZOZZbve

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) February 25, 2025

And the Mercury legend's accolades didn't start once she entered the WNBA, as she was also a three-time NCAA National Champion and two-time Naismith College Player of the Year winner with the UConn Huskies, playing under coach Geno Auriemma.

Auriemma has made his adoration of Taurasi apparent over the years. And it didn't take him long to release a statement about her retirement decision.

It's hard to put into words, it really is, what this means. When someone's defined the game, when someone's had such an impact on so many people and so many places. You can't define it with a quote. It's a life that is a novel, it's a movie, it's a miniseries, it's a saga. It's the life of an extraordinary person why, I think, had as much to do with changing women's basketball as anyone who's ever played the game," Auriemma said, per an X post from ESPN's Alexa Philippou.

"In my opinion, what the greats have in common is, they transcend the sport and become synonymous with the sport. For as long as people talk about college basketball, WNBA basketball, Olympic basketball: Diana is the greatest winner in the history of basketball, period. I've had the pleasure of being around her for a lot of those moments, and she's the greatest teammate I've ever coached. I'm happy for her and her family. At the same time, I'm sad that I'll never get to see her play again, but I saw more than most."

UConn WBB coach Geno Auriemma’s statement on Diana Taurasi’s retirement pic.twitter.com/5U0hB4nwvM

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) February 25, 2025

Taurasi has left her mark on the sport's current and future superstars and her blueprint will be followed for years to come.