Diana Taurasi Was Every WNBA Fan During Shane Gillis’s ESPYs Monologue

The WNBA legend did not look pleased.

Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi in attendance at a Suns game against the Dallas Mavericks at Footprint Center. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Comedian Shane Gillis may have made more than a few enemies in the WNBA after his off-color jokes during the 2025 ESPYs on Wednesday night.

Gillis hosted the 33rd annual ESPY Awards in Los Angeles this week and took aim at a wide array of sports stars from Shedeur Sanders to Shohei Ohtani in his opening monologue. Some of his jokes, like a cheeky dig at SGA, landed. Others didn't.

Many on social media accused Gillis of making racially charged and derogatory jokes about female athletes in particular, including one deeply unfunny joke about Caitlin Clark.

During his monologue, Gillis was pointing out some of the stars in attendance at the event. When he introduced WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, he mispronounced her first name as "Deanna." That prompted Taurasi to shake her head and make a disapproving expression, which was caught on camera.

You can watch that awkward moment at the beginning of this TikTok video.

Shane Gillis making everyone laugh and Diana Taurasi shake her head in disgust is perfect

— Tony Roundtree (@Tonywithyy) July 17, 2025

It's unclear whether this was a planned bit between Gillis and Taurasi. Either way, Taurasi's reaction was likely that of every WNBA fan who watched the comedian's extremely polarizing set.

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