Diana Taurasi



Diana Lorena Taurasi (born June 11, 1982 in Glendale, California) is a professional basketball player who plays for the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA andUMMC Ekaterinburg of Russia.[1]  In 2011, she was voted one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history by fans.



Contents
[hide]  *1 Early career  ==Early career[edit] == Taurasi grew up in Chino, California. She attended Don Antonio Lugo High School, where she was the recipient of the 2000 Cheryl Miller Award, presented by the Los Angeles Times to the best player in Southern California.[2]  She was also named the 2000 Naismith and Parade Magazine National High School Player of the Year, and the 1999 and 2000 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year. Taurasi finished her prep career ranked fifth in state history with 3,047 points. Taurasi was named a WBCA All-American.[3]  She participated in the 2000 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored twelve points, and earned MVP honors.[4]
 * 2 College
 * 3 WNBA career
 * 4 International career
 * 5 USA Basketball
 * 6 Personal life
 * 7 Awards and honors
 * 8 Career statistics
 * 8.1 University of Connecticut
 * 8.2 WNBA
 * 8.2.1 Regular season
 * 8.2.2 Postseason
 * 9 See also
 * 10 Notes
 * 11 External links

Taurasi's father, Mario, was born in Italy, and raised in Argentina. He has been a professional football player in Italy,[5]  and played for several years as a goalie. Diana Taurasi's mother, Liliana, is Argentinian. Mario and Liliana Taurasi emigrated from Argentina to the United States before Diana was born. She has an older sister named Jessika. ==College[edit] == Taurasi with President of the United States George W. Bushat a White House ceremony for, inter al., the national champion2002–03 Connecticut Huskies.Following a highly decorated high school career, Taurasi enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and began playing for the women's basketball team during the 2000–2001 season. Taking the court primarily at point guard and shooting guard, she led the team to three consecutive NCAA championships. Leading up to the final championship, her coach, Geno Auriemma, would declare his likelihood of winning with the claim, "We have Diana, and you don't."[6]

Taurasi also received many personal accolades at UConn including the 2003 and 2004 Naismith College Player of the Yearawards, the 2003 Wade Trophy, and the 2003 Associated Press Player of the Year award. In addition to the national recognition she received during her time at UConn, Taurasi was held in legendary status by many Connecticut fans. For example, state senator Thomas Gaffey nominated her to join Prudence Crandall as the state's heroine.[7]  She averaged 15.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game in her collegiate career. During her time at UConn, her team compiled a record of 139 wins and 8 losses. Diana was a member of the inaugural class (2006) of inductees to the University of Connecticut women's basketball "Huskies of Honor" recognition program.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-8" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8] ==WNBA career<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == Naismith Award<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Following her collegiate career, Taurasi was selected first overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury, a team that went 8–26 in the 2003 season. At times in her career, she had to play forward because there were shorter players in the starting five on her team. However, she mainly plays guard.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">In her WNBA debut, Taurasi netted 26 points and led the Mercury to an 84–76 victory over the Seattle Storm. For the season, the rookie averaged 17.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Although the Mercury did not qualify for the playoffs, Taurasi was named to the Western Conference All Star team and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">In 2005, Taurasi averaged 16.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while battling an ankle injury. She was an All Star for the second straight year, but the Mercury faded down the stretch and again missed the playoffs.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Former NBA coach Paul Westhead became the Mercury's head coach prior to the 2006 season and brought his up-tempo style to Phoenix. Their roster was further bolstered by the addition of rookie Cappie Pondexter, the #2 overall selection in the 2006 WNBA Draft.

Taurasi at the White House<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi flourished under Westhead's system, leading the league in scoring and earning a third straight trip to the All Star Game. She broke Katie Smith's league records for points in a season (741 during the 2006 season) and is tied with Lauren Jackson for most points in a game (47 vs. Houston on August 10). In 2006, Taurasi averaged a record 25.3 points, 4.1 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. The Mercury finished 18–16, but after losing a tie-breaker with Houston and Seattle, missed the playoffs.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">In 2007, Taurasi finally reached the WNBA playoffs. In the first round, the Mercury eliminated the Seattle Storm two games to none. Next, they swept the San Antonio Silver Stars in a hard fought two game series. Taurasi got to her first WNBA Finals, but had to face the defending champion Detroit Shock. Taurasi and Pondexter led the Mercury to their first WNBA title. With this victory Taurasi became the seventh player ever to win an NCAA title, a WNBA title, and an Olympic gold medal. The others to achieve this are Ruth Riley, Sheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, and fellow Huskies Swin Cash, Kara Wolters, Sue Bird, and after the London 2012 Games, Maya Moore and Tamika Catchings.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was a member of the USA women's 2004, 2008 and 2012 gold medal Olympic Basketball Teams.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-9" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-10" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">In the 2009 season, Taurasi was named the WNBA MVP and later led the Phoenix Mercury to its second WNBA championship in three years by beating the Indiana Fever, three games to two, as Taurasi was named the WNBA Finals MVP. Taurasi is one of only two players (the other being Cynthia Cooper-Dyke), to win the season scoring title, the season MVP award, a WNBA Championship and the finals MVP in the same season.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-quadfecta_11-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  In 2011, alongside being selected to her 7th All-WNBA First Team,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wnba.com_12-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  she was voted one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA by fans.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Entering the 2014 season, Taurasi is 2nd in WNBA history in points per game, 5th in career points and 9th in career assists. ==International career<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was recruited to play for the European team Spartak Moscow. The team had finished in eleventh place in the Russian league when Shabtai von Kalmanovich decided to buy the team. Kalmanovich was a successful business man with various interests, including women's basketball. He had stopped in to see a local women's basketball team in Yekaterinburg, and "literally fell in love with the point guard, Anna Arkhipova". He ended up buying that team, but later decided to buy the Spartak Moscow Region team, and turn it into a top team. He arranged to add a number of top-notch players, who had earned seven Olympic medals between them. Many of the players were European, but the team also included Australian born Lauren Jackson and USA born Sue Bird and Taurasi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SI_Kalmanovic_14-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">The team would go on to win four consecutive Euroleague championships.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hoopfeed_15-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">On December 24, 2010, Taurasi's lawyers revealed that Taurasi had tested positive for a mild stimulant while playing in Turkish Champion Fenerbahçe professional basketball team. According to her lawyer, Howard Jacobs, the positive test came from an "A" sample, and that testing had been requested on a second "B" sample. Jacobs also was quick to point out that the substance Taurasi tested positive for "was not a steroid or recreational drug." Until the "B" sample can be tested, Taurasi has been provisionally suspended from the Turkish league.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  In its own statement, the Turkish basketball association revealed that the WADA-list banned substance was modafinil.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">On February 16, 2011, Diana Taurasi was cleared of doping allegations. ABC News indicated Taurasi was absolved from all doping allegations and can rejoin her Istanbul team following the retraction of the Turkish laboratory on its earlier finding on the former UConn star’s urine samples.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">On May 16, 2012 Taurasi signed a contract with UMMC.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19] ==USA Basketball<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was a member of the USA Women's U18 team which won the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Mar Del Plata, Argentina. The event was held in July 2000, when the USA team defeated Cuba to win the championship. In the closest match of the tournament, the semifinal game against Brazil, Taurasi connected on seven of her eleven three-point attempts and ended the game with 26 points. She averaged 12.6 points per game and led the team with assists with 54.6 per game.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-2000_U18_20-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">On May 12, 2004, Taurasi was selected to represent the United States with the US Women's National Basketball team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21]  She helped the United States capture thegold medal, defeating Australia in the championship game. Taurasi represented the United States as a member of the US Women's National Basketball team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, where she started all eight games and helped lead the USA team to win the gold medal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  Taurasi was the second leading scorer on the USA Women's National Basketball team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship held in São Paulo, Brazil. The USA team earned the bronze medal.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi has also earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2001 USA Junior World Championship team,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[24]  and a gold medal as a member of the 2000 USA Basketball Women’s Junior World Championship Qualifying team.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in the fall of 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-National_Team_26-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  The team selected to play for the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 Olympics is usually chosen from these participants. At the conclusion of the training camp, the team will travel to Ekaterinburg, Russia, where they compete in the 2009 UMMC Ekaterinburg International Invitational.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-National_Team_26-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was named as one of the National team members to represent the USA Basketball team in the WNBA versus USA Basketball.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-USA_All_Star_27-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  This game replaces the normal WNBA All-Star game with WNBA All-Stars versus USA Basketball, as part of the preparation for the FIBA World Championship for Women to be held in the Czech Republic during September and October 2010. Taurasi was selected to be a member of the National team representing the USA at the World Championships held in September and October of 2010. The team was coached by Geno Auriemma. Because many team members were still playing in the WNBA until just prior to the event, the team had only one day of practice with the entire team before leaving for Ostrava and Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. Even with limited practice, the team managed to win its first games against Greece by 26 points. The team continued to dominate with victory margins exceeding 20 points in the first five games. Several players shared scoring honors, with Swin Cash, Angel McCoughtry, Maya Moore, Taurasi, Lindsay Whalen, and Sylvia Fowles all ending as high scorer in the first few games. The sixth game was against undefeated Australia — the USA jumped out to a 24-point lead and the USA prevailed 83–75. The USA won its next two games by over 30 points, then faced the host team, the Czech Republic, in the championship game. The USA team had only a five-point lead at halftime, which was cut to three points, but the Czechs never got closer. Team USA went on to win the championship and gold medal. Taurasi led the team in scoring with 12.0 points per game amd was second on the team with 23 assists.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-World_Championship_2010_28-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi was one of 21 finalists for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team Roster. The 20 professional women's basketball players, plus collegiate player (Brittney Griner), were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee to compete for the final roster which will represent the USA at the 2012 Olympics in London.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Olympic_Roster_finalists_29-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29] ==Personal life<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">On July 2, 2009, Phoenix police spokesman Luis Samudio says an officer stopped Taurasi at about 2:30 a.m. for allegedly speeding. A police statement says the officer smelled alcohol and gave her several field sobriety tests. Taurasi was then driven to a mobile DUI van where she gave a blood sample, then was cited and released. Authorities later said her blood alcohol level was 0.17.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  The Phoenix Mercury responded to this news by suspending her for two games later that month.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-31" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  She however was named a reserve for her fourth All-star appearance that summer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[32]  After extreme DUI and speeding charges were dropped, Taurasi pleaded guilty to DUI. She served one day in jail after a judge suspended nine days of the 10-day sentence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-jail_33-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  The incident had a profound effect on Taurasi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SI_DT_34-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:inherit;">Taurasi had a cameo role in the 2006 film Believe In Me.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Variety_35-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35] ==Awards and honors<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == ==Career statistics<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] == ===University of Connecticut<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] === ===WNBA<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] === ====Regular season<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] ==== ====Postseason<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;">[edit] ====
 * 2003 – Nancy Lieberman Award
 * 2003 – Wade Trophy
 * 2003 – Naismith College Player of the Year
 * 2003 – NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
 * 2003 – Honda Sports Award, basketball<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Honda_Sports_Award_36-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]
 * 2004 – Nancy Lieberman Award
 * 2004 – Naismith College Player of the Year
 * 2004 – NCAA Basketball Tournament Most Outstanding Player
 * 2004 – WNBA Rookie of the Year Award
 * 2004 – Honda Sports Award, basketball<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Honda_Sports_Award_36-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]
 * 2004 – All-WNBA First Team
 * 2005 – WNBA All-Star Selection
 * 2005 – All-WNBA Second Team
 * 2006 – WNBA All-Star Selection
 * 2006 – WNBA Peak Performer
 * 2006 – All-WNBA First Team
 * 2007 – WNBA All-Star Selection
 * 2007 – All-WNBA First Team
 * 2008 – WNBA Peak Performer
 * 2008 – All-WNBA First Team
 * 2009 – WNBA Peak Performer
 * 2009 – WNBA All-Star Selection
 * 2009 – WNBA Most Valuable Player Award
 * 2009 – WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
 * 2009 – All-WNBA First Team
 * 2010 – All-WNBA First Team<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-All_WNBA_37-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]
 * 2011 – All-WNBA First Team<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wnba.com_12-1" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]
 * 2012—USA Basketball's female athlete of the year<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Female_athlete_of_year_38-0" style="line-height:1;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]
 * Euroleague Winner 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
 * Euroleague Women MVP 2009, 2010