Diana Taurasi is still thinking about whether to continue playing in the WNBA for another season or to retire.
The 20-year veteran and future Hall of Famer told The Associated Press on Tuesday that she will take her time making this decision.
“I don’t take retirement lightly. I know the minute I say it or announce it, whether it’s, you know, in a month or two months, I’m going to mean it,” Taurasi said. “I talk to (wife) Penny (Taylor) and the Mercury, so I’m still in the thought process.”
Taurasi’s season ended when the Mercury were swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Lynx. She hasn’t spoken since that loss.
“I have not taken it lightly. I think about it every day. You know, I’m still in deep thought about it. I want to make the right decision, you know, and I’m just taking my time a little bit,” the 42-year-old Taurasi said. “And, you know, sometimes when the season ends, the last thing you want to think about is the next season.”
Taurasi appreciates the team’s moves last offseason, including adding Natasha Cloud and Kahleah Copper, which she believes made the team a potential championship contender.
In addition, the new $100 million training center that the Mercury now use features Taurasi’s name and logo on the courts.
“I do think with the additions (on court) we made and in the front office we’ll be there for a long time,” she said. “You know those are my sisters. I’ve gone through a lot with them. So, you know, I’ll chat with them. It’s a lot to process the season as a whole.”
Taurasi has been talking recently about her struggle with the skin condition eczema, which has affected her for many years. She has dealt with it since her time at UConn, where she helped the school win three NCAA championships. Taurasi started experiencing outbreaks of red, itchy, scaly skin, which made her uncomfortable both on and off the court.
“I’ve had to deal with for, you know, most of my life. And, you know, I’ve shared my story and you know how enduring it is,” said the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“Especially when you play sports. And, you know, obviously in basketball, you’re always in a jersey and you’re exposed. And not only that, the physical part of it. And you know how itchy and red, the discomfort you feel. These are all things that I internally battled with for a long time.”
Taurasi has been using Dupixent after working with her dermatologist. An estimated 2.7 million people in the US ages 6 months and older have uncontrolled moderate-to-severe eczema.
When she eventually decides to retire, whether it’s this year or soon after, Taurasi is interested in the idea of getting involved with team ownership.
“I definitely love the idea of being able to have a position where obviously you influence a team,” she said. “But more than that, just being around (owner) Mat (Ishbia) for a little bit, just seeing how he’s influenced this whole city and changed the energy of what an owner can do to really the outlook of a city, the feeling of a city. The things to which he’s done with the team, it’s really the next step, I think, for female athletes.”
