Mercury honor the GOAT as Diana Taurasi's number retired in star-studded event

PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi stepped foot on the basketball court at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Sunday, Aug. 16, like she’s done so many times throughout her 20-year career in Phoenix. 

But this time was different. The Phoenix Mercury’s game against Portland Fire doubled as Taurasi’s Ring of Honor induction, where her No. 3 jersey was officially retired and hung in the rafters alongside Cheryl Miller, Jennifer Gillom (22), Bridget Pettis (32), Penny Taylor (13) and Michele Timms (7).

“Driving to the game today, I didn’t know whether I was going to suit up and play, if it was my funeral or a celebration,” Taurasi joked during her induction speech. “It’s all of those things and it’s amazing. And I wouldn’t have it any other way because that’s how I live every single day of my life. With every single one of those emotions in this building.”

Despite the Mercury’s 88-85 loss to the Fire, there was a sense of celebration both before and after the game because of Taurasi, the greatest scorer in WNBA history.

The stories behind the GOAT

Years from now, people will point up and tell stories about No. 3 pic.twitter.com/9jZ76C1Qha

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 17, 2026

Taurasi showed up for the city of Phoenix, playing 17,322 minutes (second in WNBA history) in 565 regular-season games (third) in purple and orange. And on Sunday, the Mercury returned the favor with a sold-out crowd of 16,513 fans. Taurasi’s celebration brought out all kinds of greatness, with Sheryl Swoopes, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Phelps, Brittney Griner and Devin Booker in attendance.

GOAT plushies were given to the first 5,000 fans. A commemorative t-shirt featuring all of Taurasi’s accolades, including her league-high 122 technical fouls, adorned every seat. There was even a goat petting zoo erected near the court to celebrate of one of the greatest of all time. 

“I got to the city in 2004, and I instantly knew this was the place for me,” Taurasi told the crowd. “This place has made me who I am. You guys let me, you guys let me grow. You let me fall. You let me get back up, and you gave me the space to become who I am today. And through the championships, through all the good times, through all the bad times, the loyalty that you have given me is something I’ll take with me forever in my whole life.”

Fans were lined up more two hours ahead of tipoff to get a GOAT plushie at Diana Taurasi’s Ring of Honor celebration on Sunday.

The first 5,000 fans got a stuffed animal, while every fan received a commemorative t-shirt. pic.twitter.com/hNUstCmbx5

— Cydney Henderson (@CydHenderson) August 16, 2026

Taurasi’s No. 3 banner was unveiled during a star-studded halftime ceremony that featured speeches from Pettis and Phoenix Mercury and Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia. Taurasi was gifted a pair of custom Kobe sneakers in honor of her “White Mamba” nickname, in addition to a Shinola watch.

“Today’s a big one … today feels different. When your number goes up (in the rafters), you can’t use it anymore. It’s done,” Taurasi said. “So if there was any little competitiveness still in me, I think today it goes up in the rafters with the number and it feels really good to know that every time I hit the court, I gave everything everything. … I’m full of gratitude and love, and I feel that and just really happy.”

Taurasi admitted that she doesn’t miss the competitive edge needed to suit up every night — “That is the one thing that as I stepped away … I don’t know if I could ever go back to that” — but she hopes to be involved in team ownership one day. 

“When you spend 20 years anywhere, especially a place like this … it would, mean the world to me,” Taurasi said. “If that happens down the road, it would be a dream come true. As a little kid, all you wanted to do is play basketball, and you never even thought maybe you could be an owner of a franchise of a team or anything. So if that happens to come across, you know my path, it would be a dream and an honor, really.”

What’s next for Diana Taurasi? Hopefully ownership.

‘It would be huge. Obviously when you spend 20 years anywhere, especially a place like this where I feel like it’s family, it’s home… If that happens down the road, it would be a dream come true.’

(Q: @eliavgabay) pic.twitter.com/EoL5vcQDKd

— Cydney Henderson (@CydHenderson) August 16, 2026

The halftime celebration was just the “appetizer,” as Taurasi put it, for what was to come. Following the Mercury’s nail-biting loss to the Fire, 20 different players, coaches and executives each selected to represent a year in Taurasi’s career came on the court during a postgame ceremony to give her flowers, literally.

That group included Anna Deforge (2004), Lisa Harrison (2005), Paul Westhead (2006), Ann Meyers Drysdale (2007), Le’coe Willingham (2008), DeWanna Bonner (2009), Tangela Smith (2010), Pettis (2011), Corey Gaines (2012), Alexis Hornbuckle (2013), Shay Murphy (2014), Brittney Griner (2016), Monique Currie (2017), Sancho Lyttle (2018), Julie Hairgrove (2019), Bria Hartley (2020), Jim Pitman (2021), Vonn Turner (2022), Megan DiLeo (2023) and Kahleah Copper (2024).

Taurasi’s favorite teammate, wife Penny Taylor, recited a poem that she wrote in honor of Taurasi. They first met in the 2004 season – when the Mercury drafted Taurasi with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA draft after Taylor was selected in the league’s dispersal draft the same year – and won three championships together.

“Basketball can get very serious, it can get tense. And I always wanted to be in the locker room and be that person that no matter who it was … I wanted to be the person that galvanized everyone,” Taurasi said. “My teammates and my coaches and people that were around me, hopefully they felt that type of energy. I was always willing to put them before my goals and the things that I wanted to do. … Basketball was supposed to be played with others in the forefront, and then you do your best to help everyone out.”

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mercury honor the GOAT as Diana Taurasi’s number retired in star-studded event