This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners. Happy trails to Diana Taurasi.
The WNBA’s all-time leading scorer officially announced her retirement on Tuesday, bringing her 20-year career to a close.
At 42 years old, the time was certainly right. The writing was on the wall for a while. Last season was clearly Taurasi’s final season with the Phoenix Mercury. She’d only played for one team her entire career. The choices would be to play for another team next season or retire. Taurasi rightfully chose the latter.
I say rightfully because, man, she gave this game everything. Her contributions were already enormous. She’s a 14-time All-WNBA player, an 11-time All-Star, a three-time WNBA champion, a six-time gold medal winner. She also won six Euroleague championships and 7 Russian League championships. That’s not even mentioning three consecutive NCAA championships she won with Geno Auriemma at UConn. There’s a legitimate case to make that Taurasi is the greatest winner basketball has ever seen across the board. Man or woman. There was nothing more she could do to make that resume any more fantastic than it already was. She deserves all the praise she’s getting.
SEE TAURASI GROW: 20 photos of Diana Taurasi through the years
Beyond that, Taurasi was just one of the coolest players ever. She just didn’t care, man. She’s one of the rare players who always seems to have known how dope she was. The rest of us just had to figure it out for ourselves. That cool oozes through her TIME Magazine profile announcing her championship.
I mean, guys. This anecdote on her roasting Draymond Green during the 2016 Rio Olympics? Doesn’t get any better than this.
“Players from both teams, a group of NBA and WNBA stars, were sitting around one night, having a few laughs, a few drinks, and talking some serious smack, as is the habit of super competitive and successful athletes. Draymond Green, a noted NBA rabble-rouser known more for his defensive instincts, physicality, passing skills, and penchant for drawing technical fouls and suspensions than his shooting and scoring ability, was going on about something. Taurasi said, “Hey, Draymond, how does it feel to be the only person in this room who’s never been double-teamed?”
That’s DT in a nutshell, man. She’s so cool. So smooth. A little mean at times? Sure. But it comes with the territory. That’s who she was at all times with us. She never stopped being herself.
As I go through all of these accolades and this history, I’m reminded that there are so many new fans to this league and this game who probably aren’t aware of that history. They weren’t there for the championships. They didn’t watch every bucket. And that’s OK! It’s certainly not bad that people are finally catching up and coming around on the WNBA. They’re just new.
As the game continues to grow and the next generation takes the baton from DT here, I just hope that people never forget her. I hope that they never diminish what she accomplished. I hope they never belittle what she brought to this game.
Without her, there is no Caitlin Clark. There is no Angel Reese. The game isn’t what it is today. The players in the WNBA aren’t allowed to be who they are today. Taurasi paved the way.
Cheers to a fantastic career.
Diana’s path as told by Vanessa Bryant
Vanessa Bryant told the story of Diana Taurasi’s journey to excellence in a tribute video dating back to June of 2022. After Taurasi announced her retirement, Bryant reposted it in celebration of her career.
Here’s that video.
Taurasi was a friend of the Bryant family — Kobe is where she got the “White Mamba” nickname from. She even spoke at Kobe and Gigi Bryant’s funeral. Seeing Vanessa repost this just warms the heart, man. I love this.
Lakers fans love Nico
Luka Doncic didn’t drop a 70-point triple-double in his first game against the Mavs, per my request. It turns out a 19-point triple-double was enough to bounce his old team out of Staples (yes, I know it’s Crypto Dot Com arena now).
We didn’t get the gaudy numbers we were looking for, but we did get this.
Yes, you’re hearing that correctly. That’s Laker fans thanking Nico Harrison for Luka Doncic, as the latter shoots a pair of free throws.
Guys. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Mavs fans, I’m sorry. Lakers fans, you’re blessed by the basketball gods.
Quick hits: Caitlin Clark on DT … Jordan Brand dusts Dallas … and more
— Caitlin Clark had a one-word message following Diana Taurasi’s retirement. Meghan Hall has more on that here.
— This Jordan Brand ad for Luka Doncic is ruthless. Cory Woodroof has more.
— Andrew Berry thinks Travis Hunter is a wide receiver so Robert Zeglinski says that means he’s probably a corner.
— Here’s Christian D’Andrea with five trade destinations for Jonathan Allen.
— A Rob Gronkowski NFL return? Charles Curtis has more on the possibility here.
— The Giants are never going to live down letting Saquon Barkley walk.
That’s a wrap, folks. Peace. Thanks for reading today.
-Sykes ✌️
This article was originally published by a www.usatoday.com . Read the Original article here. .