Diana Taurasi Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 6 ft |
Weight | 68 kg |
Date of Birth | June 11, 1982 |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Spouse | Penny Taylor |
Diana Taurasi is an American basketball player. She plays professionally for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) and also the UMMC Ekaterinburg of Russia. Diana Taurasi has been named as one of the greatest women in basketball and is very famous for her ability to score in very critical situations. This got her the nickname ‘White Mamba’ by Kobe Bryant, and was then adopted by her friends and her fans. Another basketballer known as DeAndre Ayton calls her the “Michael Jordan of WNBA”. Diana began her career after college when she was selected by the Phoenix Mercury as the first overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft. When she started, she was the main guard in her team but had to also play forward because there were shorter players in the starting 5 of her team. Diana began her international career in 2005 when she played for Dynamo Moscow, the team that had been dominant in the Russian league until the late 90s, and was still declining at the time she joined.
Diana Taurasi was a member of the USA women’s 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 gold medal Olympic Basketball Teams. In 2011, fans voted her as one of the Top 15 players in the 15-year history of the WNBA. Diana has won WNBA championships in 2007, 2009, and 2014, scoring titles in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011, Olympic gold medals in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016, WNBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2009, the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2004, and WNBA Finals MVP Awards in 2009 and 2014. She is one of 10 women to win an Olympic Gold Medal, an NCAA Championship and a WNBA Championship, and Taurasi became the WNBA all-time leading scorer on June 18, 2017.
Born Name
Diana Lorena Taurasi
Nick Name
White Mamba
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Glendale, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Diana Taurasi attended Don Antonio Lugo High School in Chino, California. She then enrolled at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, Connecticut, United States and began playing for the women’s basketball team.
Occupation
Basketball Player
Family
- Father – Mario Taurasi (Professional Soccer Player)
- Mother – Liliana Taurasi
- Siblings – Jessika Taurasi (Older Sister)
Manager
Diana Taurasi is represented by –
- Jim Pitman (Phoenix Mercury General Manager)
- Wasserman Media Group
Build
Athletic
Height
6 ft or 183 cm
Weight
68 kg or 150 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Diana Taurasi has dated –
- Penny Taylor (2017-Present) – Penny Taylor is an Australian retired professional basketball player who once played in the Phoenix Mercury alongside Diana Taurasi. They got married in 2017 and on March 1, 2018, they had their first child when Taylor gave birth to a boy, Leo Michael Taurasi-Taylor.
Race / Ethnicity
Multiracial (White and Hispanic)
She is of Italian and Argentinian descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Lesbian
Distinctive Features
- Athletic body
- Tall height
Best Known For
- Winning WNBA championships, WNBA Most Valuable Player Award, WNBA Finals MVP Awards, Olympic gold medals, scoring titles, and the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award
- Scoring in tough situations
First Film
Diana Taurasi made her first theatrical film appearance as O’Keene Coach in the film Believe In Me in 2006.
First TV Show
She made her first TV show appearance as Herself on the documentary series 60 Minutes in 2004.
Diana Taurasi Facts
- She got married to Penny Taylor in Phoenix, Arizona, the same location where Taurasi plays for the Phoenix Mercury and Taylor works as the team’s director of player development.
- While Diana Taurasi was in high school, she was the recipient of the 2000 Cheryl Miller Award. It was presented by the Los Angeles Times to the best basketball player in Southern California. She was also the 1999 and 2000 Ms. Basketball State Player of the Year, and National High School Player of the Year by Parade magazine, and was named the 2000 Naismith.
- She is a recipient of numerous awards including the 2016 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and 2014 WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
- In 2009, Diana Taurasi was stopped by a policeman while driving, for allegedly speeding at 2:30 A.M. She went through some alcohol tests because the officer could perceive alcohol. The blood test result revealed her blood alcohol level at 0.17. This resulted in her suspension from 2 games later that month.
- She pleaded guilty to DUI and was allowed to serve a full day in jail out of the 10 days she was sentenced to. A judge suspended the remaining 9 days.
- Diana Taurasi participated in the 2000 WBCA High School All-America Game. She scored 12 points in the game and earned the MVP honors.
- While she attended the University of Connecticut, Diana began playing for the 2000-2001 women’s basketball season.
- The awards that she won in college include Naismith College Player of the Year awards in 2003 and 2004, Wade Trophy in 2003, and Associated Press Player of the Year award in 2003.
- When the former NBA coach, Paul Westhead became the Phoenix Mercury’s coach before the commencement of the 2006 season, he began to work with Diana and other members of the team. Diana progressed under his rule because he changed the roster and coached better. She scored several goals and earned a 3rd straight trip to the All Star Game.
- Diana Taurasi was a member of the USA women’s gold medal Olympic Basketball Teams in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.
- To several of her fans in Connecticut, Diana is a legend. She was also nominated by the state senator Thomas Gaffey to join Prudence Crandall as the state’s heroine.
- In 2012, Diana Taurasi strained her left hip and could only play 8 games in the entire season.
- Due to Diana Taurasi making much more when playing overseas than the amount she made by playing with the WNBA, her Russian Premier League team requested that she sat out the 2015 WNBA season so she could play in their team. They offered her approximately $1.5 million compared to her WNBA salary which was about $107,000.
- Visit Diana Taurasi’s official website @ dianataurasi.com.
- Follow Diana Taurasi on Facebook and Twitter.
Featured Image by Diana Taurasi / Instagram