Diana Taurasi, Team USA have ‘lot to prove’ in Paris Olympics

Diana Taurasi reflects on Tokyo saying last Olympics were disappointing

Team USA women's basketball player Diana Taurasi, in a Team USA uniform, and a gold medal, as if she is looking at the gold medal

Diana Taurasi is set to participate in her record sixth Olympic Games, leading Team USA women’s basketball in their quest for an eighth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics. At 42 years old, Taurasi continues to demonstrate her passion for the game.

“Why not? I say this all the time: If I sign up to play, I sign up to play,” Taurasi said in a wide-ranging interview with The Associated Press. “I don’t love how my last Olympics went personally. I think as a team we still have a lot to prove. I love playing USA Basketball. You play with the best in the world. Basketball is a team sport, and if you have the opportunity to play with the best in the world, I’ll always sign up.”

Taurasi has been a constant presence on the U.S. women’s basketball team since her college days at UConn, where she led the Huskies to three consecutive NCAA championships. The WNBA’s all-time leading scorer with over 10,000 points, Taurasi is still performing at a high level, averaging 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in her 20th season with the Phoenix Mercury.

“No one has done it more than her. There’s no substitute for that level of experience,” said U.S. coach Cheryl Reeve. “We’re going to count on her voice, and that experience she has is incredible and valuable.”

Taurasi ranks as the fourth-leading scorer in Olympic history with 414 points, trailing only 74 points behind former teammate Lisa Leslie for the top spot on the American list. She also holds the record for the most Olympic games played, with 38 under her belt.

Her wealth of experience and knowledge is highly respected by her teammates. “She’s seen it all,” U.S. teammate Breanna Stewart said. “She knows exactly what to say before the coaches even come into the locker room.”

Diana Taurasi has never experienced an Olympic loss

USA forward/center Breanna Stewart (9), USA forward Maya Moore (7), USA head coach Geno Auriemma, USA center Tina Charles (14), USA guard Sue Bird (6) and USA guard Diana Taurasi (12) pose for a picture after beating Spain in the women's basketball gold medal match during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games.© Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Reflecting on her Olympic journey, Taurasi cherishes the memories of the opening ceremony at her first Olympics in Athens in 2004.

“The whole world is watching this, and when they call out all the countries and the U.S. lines up, there’s this togetherness you don’t get very often in sports,” she said. “Every single walk of life, every discipline in sports is all in one place. It’s pretty special. That moment is special at every Olympics.”

Taurasi has never experienced an Olympic loss, with Team USA boasting a perfect 38-0 record in the games she has competed in. This streak dates back even further than Taurasi’s career, with the last loss by the Americans occurring in the 1992 Barcelona Games. Taurasi attributes this winning culture to the values instilled in USA Basketball.

“You always have to wait your turn,” she said. “In ’04 I was getting Lisa (Leslie) and Dawn (Staley) doughnuts, learning the ropes. … I tried to soak up all the knowledge I could. Then as I progressed in my career, I got more responsibility. I became one of the leaders. I think that’s what USA B does so great. It’s not forced. It just happens, which makes it even better.”

When asked about playing in the 2028 Olympics, which will be held in her hometown of Los Angeles, Taurasi acknowledged the challenge given that she will be 46 by then.

“I’m just as addicted to basketball right now as I was when I was 15 playing in my driveway. I have the same ambitions, the same passion, the same love for it,” she said. “I show up every single day in Phoenix at the practice facility at 7:30 a.m. ready to go. That’s how I treat it. However, when it’s done, it’s done.”