Diana Taurasi had quite the WNBA career. She piled up accolades, and she helped her team make history in the process. Taurasi helped the Phoenix Mercury win three championships, and she helped them reach the WNBA Finals four times.
The Mercury had their ups and downs, but no matter what, their star guard stuck with them, and led them to greatness.
Taurasi’s success in the WNBA was not a surprise, as she showed flashes of greatness in her college years. She played for the UConn Huskies, and she helped them win three championships.
Sue Bird jumps into the arms of Diana Taurasi while Tamika Williams embraces the pair as UConn captures the 2002 national championship, the first of three consecutive titles the Huskies captured. / JACK GRUBER / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
In the past, her first championship was discussed, but this time, the Huskies’ win in the 2002-03 season will be examined.
After a successful 2001-02 season, UConn was looking to win another championship. Things were different for the Huskies in Taurasi’s junior year, as some of their best players began their WNBA journeys. Sue Bird was the first pick of the 2002 WNBA Draft, and her teammate, Swin Cash, was right behind her. Two more UConn players were drafted early in the first round, as Asjha Jones was the fourth pick, and Tamika Williams was the sixth.
Connecticut’s Diana Taurasi battles past Tennessee’s Kara Lawson as the Connecticut Huskies defeated Tennessee 79-56 during the NCAA women’s semi-finals at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on March 29, 2002. / JACK GRUBER / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Taurasi and her team had to adjust to playing without Bird and Cash, who were the team captains in the Mercury guard’s sophomore season. Phoenix’s guard took over the role in her junior year, and she led her team to victory.
UConn finished the season with a record of 37-1 that year, and their only loss was the Big East Championship Game. They faced Villanova, and the Wildcats beat them 52-48.
After that loss, the Huskies were back on track, and they cruised through the NCAA tournament to win it all. They faced Tennessee in the final game, and they beat them 73-68.
In that game, Taurasi was the team’s leading scorer with 28 points. She also had four rebounds, an assist and a block. The Huskies also had three other players who scored in double figures.
Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) reacts after the game against the LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
That was a good year for Taurasi and her team, and she averaged 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 blocks. After that, Taurasi had one more year with the team before she would take the next step in her journey. Taurasi was destined to be a star, and her 2002-03 season was a glimpse of the future.
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