The Evolution of Diana Taurasi

[CamrnCrz1974]

Ben York's piece on the "White Mamba" (Ben's nickname for her that he uses on social media, based on Kobe Bryant's "Black Mamba" nickname).

Side note...Ben York covers the Phoenix Suns and the Phoenix Mercury.
He has referred to Taurasi as:
"One of the nicest, most genuine people on the planet. Leadership personified."
(from his Twitter page, posting a picture of the two of them in honor of Taurasi's birthday)

Link to article referenced above: http://www.wnba.com/mercury/news/diana_taurasi_140611.html

Excerpt from article referenced above:
Eight games into the 2014 season, Diana Taurasi ranks top 10 in the WNBA in 15 different statistical categories:

• No. 7 in points per game (17.9)

• No. 8 in points per 40 minutes (22.4)

• No. 8 in total points (143)

• No. 5 in assists per game (5.5)

• No. 7 in assists per 40 minutes (6.9)

• No. 7 in total assists (44)

• No. 3 in free-throws made (37)

• No. 6 in free-throw attempts (39)

• No. 2 in free-throws per 40 minutes (5.8)

• No. 3 in free-throw percentage (.949)

• No. 8 in free-throw attempts per 40 min. (6.1)

• No. 9 in minutes per game (32.0)

• No. 7 in total three-point field goals made (14)

• No. 4 in three-point field goal attempts (42)

• No. 8 in efficiency ranking (18.6)

Spoiler alert: these individual numbers mean absolutely nothing to Taurasi.

 

[Striper69]

She is playing good this year.

I'm glad to see that she isn't losing her temper and getting "T'd up all the time. She started to get mad last night about the fouls that weren't being called but she walked away from it and sat down. Both teams were playing pretty rough last night and many fouls weren't called.

I was going to take her pic when she came out of the game but she sat down too fast. lol

 

[geneticrex]

In my opinion, Diana Taurasi is the top guard in the history of the women's game.....

Her uncanny passing ability, unlimited shooting range, ability to score from anywhere on the floor with using almost every shot in the book, court sense and savvy, unquestioned leadership skills, size and strength at the position, nerves of steel in crunch time, the rare gift of elevating her teammates games and every other applicable intangible from shot blocking from the guard position, to "must see TV" interviews, makes her the Queen of the Hardwood.

 

[blackbird]

BTW: Kobe has actually called DT "The white mamba"

Which I think is pretty cool.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

#5 in assists--I'll bet that if any of those stats was important to D, that would be the one.

 

[j66kicker]

In my opinion, Diana Taurasi is the top guard in the history of the women's game.....

Her uncanny passing ability, unlimited shooting range, ability to score from anywhere on the floor with using almost every shot in the book, court sense and savvy, unquestioned leadership skills, size and strength at the position, nerves of steel in crunch time, the rare gift of elevating her teammates games and every other applicable intangible from shot blocking from the guard position, to "must see TV" interviews, makes her the Queen of the Hardwood.

Yeah, remember after Sue won the Nancy Lieberman award for nation's top point guard 3 times, then DT won it when she wasn't even starting as the point guard. TWICE

 

[pap49cba]

It will be a sad day when the US Olympic team doesn't have DT or Birdie on the roster.

 

[pap49cba]

From the York article:

Listen. Watch. Observe. Taurasi rarely (if ever) says “I” when discussing the team. It’s because she doesn’t think “I.”


She thinks “we.”

Wonder who she learned that from?

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Diana had a double double last night (points/assists).

 

[geneticrex]

Yeah, remember after Sue won the Nancy Lieberman award for nation's top point guard 3 times, then DT won it when she wasn't even starting as the point guard. TWICE

Yep, DT is so accomplished in all phases of guard-play, it doesn't matter if she's the designated 1, or 2.

 

[pap49cba]

DT was quoted after the game saying that Bria would be a future All-Star.

 

[intlzncster]

Any thread about DT is a good thread. In my (not so) humble opinion, the best female player to ever play the game.

Thing about most of those categories above? DT could probably be 1 or 2 in most of them, were she to focus on a particular category or two. Her goal is to be a very well rounded player. Have to respect that.

 

[Striper69]

DT was quoted after the game saying that Bria would be a future All-Star.

I'm voting for her and Shoni in the East.

 

[alexrgct]

It will be a sad day when the US Olympic team doesn't have DT or Birdie on the roster.

I remember D being interviewed back in 2012 after the US finished knocking off France for the gold. When asked if she'll be back in 2016, she says, "Oh, HELL yeah." I'm gonna hold her to that.

 

[Kibitzer]

The Greatest.

 

[easttexastrash]

I remember D being interviewed back in 2012 after the US finished knocking off France for the gold. When asked if she'll be back in 2016, she says, "Oh, HELL yeah." I'm gonna hold her to that.

No doubt that she will be; she is still the best guard in the world. She is much more composed this year than last year. I hope that she and BG get to team up on the Olympic team.

 

[rocky rococo]

It will be a sad day when the US Olympic team doesn't have DT or Birdie on the roster.

D will be back in 2016. Sadly, watching Sue it's clear that time is finally catching up with her. If Geno only carries two PGs in 2016, it might be time to swallow hard and accept that it could be Whay and D-Rob.

 

[baggerbob]

In 2016 at the Olympics a starting lineup of DT, Maya, EDD, Stewie, and BG would be the greatest in history. The greatest player in the history of the women's game, passes the torch to the future greats.

 

[blackbird]

D will be back in 2016. Sadly, watching Sue it's clear that time is finally catching up with her. If Geno only carries two PGs in 2016, it might be time to swallow hard and accept that it could be Whay and D-Rob.

Like Dawn, I think because of history, Sue will be on the team.

 

[Striper69]

Sue might look worse than she is capable of looking like because she's trying get her team together with her star center out of action. If she was selfish she could be scoring a lot of points but she wants to get her team in the playoffs.
I don't think Geno calls anyone the best point guard in the game without good reason.

 

[Striper69]

Speaking of DT- she let the other team get to her again tonight. Another technical. If she has an Achilles Heel then that's it.

 

[ThisJustIn]

Speaking of DT- she let the other team get to her again tonight. Another technical. If she has an Achilles Heel then that's it.

True. It's really hurt her in her career.....

 

[VAUConnFan]

Any thread about DT is a good thread. In my (not so) humble opinion, the best female player to ever play the game.

Thing about most of those categories above? DT could probably be 1 or 2 in most of them, were she to focus on a particular category or two. Her goal is to be a very well rounded player. Have to respect that.

The Greatest.

Ms Taurasi is, unquestionably, among the all time greats and I might be inclined to agree with the opinions/sentiments expressed here and felt elsewhere if not for my own opinions/biases and the fact that there are a number of multiple WNBA MVPs, the majority of whom are multiple WNBA champions. Limit it to college careers? Combined college and pro? Combined college, pro, and international? Still hard for me to separate Ms Taurasi to place her at the top. Ambassador for the women's game? Anyone watching yesterday's White House ceremony honoring last year's WNBA champions might come away feeling as I do.

One thing I will not do is hold an athlete's temperament against them; Especially if they are effective and their temperament is of little detriment. Everyone runs on different motors, different levels of intensity and motivation.

 

[intlzncster]

One thing I will not do is hold an athlete's temperament against them; Especially if they are effective and their temperament is of little detriment. Everyone runs on different motors, different levels of intensity and motivation.

Her temperament and attitude are two of the things I like most about her.