Former WNBA Most Valuable Player Diana Taurasi is returning to the Phoenix Mercury on a multi-year contract, the team announced Monday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed for Taurasi, who is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer with 8,931 points.
“WNBA players are more empowered and in control of their careers than ever before, and it is an incredibly important statement that Diana Taurasi has chosen to re-sign with the Mercury once again,” Phoenix general manager Jim Pitman said Monday in a statement.
“As I’ve said before, as long as Diana wants to play in the WNBA, we want her in a Mercury uniform. She is the heart of our franchise, the first face on our Mount Rushmore, the best winner and competitor in the women’s game. The trajectory of our organization changed the day we drafted her [in 2004], and we are excited she will be here into the future.”
Taurasi, 38, averaged 18.7 points, 4.5 assists and 4.2 rebounds in 19 games last season for the Mercury.
The nine-time All-Star has spent her entire 16-year career with Phoenix. The Mercury selected Taurasi with the first overall pick of the 2004 WNBA Draft out of UConn.
Taurasi, who was named the 2009 NBA MVP, has averaged 19.6 points and 31.0 minutes per game during her career.
(Field Level Media)
