Diana Taurasi #3 Guard

Background

CAREER CAPSULE
� Two-time WNBA Champion (2009, 2007)
� Four-time WNBA All-Star (2009, 2007, 2006, 2005)
� 2009 WNBA MVP
� 2009 WNBA Finals MVP
� Six-time All-WNBA First Team (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004)
� Two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2004)
� WNBA-best four-time Peak Performer as the league�s leading scorer� three-straight� four times in the last five seasons (22.6 ppg in 2010, 20.4 ppg in 2009, 24.1 ppg in 2008, 25.3 ppg in 2006)
� All-WNBA Second Team (2005)
� WNBA All-Decade Team Honorable Mention
� 2004 WNBA Rookie of the Year
� No. 1 overall pick, 2004 WNBA Draft
� Mercury all-time franchise leader in 16 categories: seasons (seven), games played (229), minutes played (7,453), points scored (4,731), scoring average (20.7), field goals made (1,558), field goal attempts (3,568), three-pointers (582), three-point attempts (1,586), free throws made (1,033), free throw attempts (247), rebounds (1,026), defensive rebounds (877), assists (934), steals (288), blocks (222)
� Became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 4,500 points, 1,000 rebounds and 900 assists (224 games)
� Became the fastest player in league history to eclipse 4,000 career points (197 games)
� Became the first player in league history to record 500 or more points in each of her first five seasons� has scored 500 or more points in each of her seven WNBA seasons, the longest streak by any player in league history
� The only player in WNBA history to score 600 or more points in five consecutive seasons (2006-2010)
� Only player in WNBA history to record 800 points in a season� has done so twice (860 in 2006, 820 in 2008)
� Owns the WNBA record for most consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer (55 games)
� Scored in double figures in a franchise-record 50 consecutive games (July 1, 2009 � Aug. 13, 2010)
� Owns league scoring records for scoring average in a season (25.3 ppg), points in a season (860), and shares single-game record (47)
� Second player all-time to record multiple 40-point games in the same season (2006; Smith)� Has most career 40-point games in WNBA history (three)
� Five career back-to-back 30-point performances, most in WNBA history (one in 2008, two in 2006, two in 2010)
� 31 career 30-point efforts, most in WNBA history
� Scored 20 or more points in a WNBA-record 13 consecutive games (final 12 of 2006, first game of 2007)
� Second-most career games of 20 or more points in WNBA history (127)
� Scored 10 or more points in a franchise-record 50 consecutive games from July 1, 2009 � Aug. 13, 2010
� 13-time Player of the Week (three times in 2010, once in 2009, four times in 2008, twice in 2007, twice in 2006, once in 2005), fourth most nominations in WNBA history (Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson and Tamika Catchings)

2010 WNBA SEASON
� 2010 Peak Performer for leading the league in scoring with 22.6 points per game� third consecutive award� WNBA-record fourth overall
� Was named the Best WNBA Player at the 2010 ESPY Awards on July 14, her fourth career ESPY award
� Recorded eight 30-point performances
� Recorded two double-doubles... the sixth and seventh of her career
� Became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 4,500 points, 1,000 rebounds and 900 assists (224 games)
� On Aug. 1 recorded just the second 30-point, 10-assist performance in WNBA history (Jia Perkins, 2007)
� Three-time Western Conference Player of the Week (June 14, July 26, Aug. 2)
� Scored a season-high 44 points on July 14 vs. Seattle (3OT)� third career 40-point performance, most in WNBA history
� Tied her own WNBA record with 33 field goal attempts vs. Seattle on July 14 (3OT)
� Scored in double figures in a franchise-record 50 consecutive games (July 1, 2009 � Aug. 13, 2010)
� Recorded back-to-back 30-point performances twice, extending her WNBA record to five such occurrences
� Tallied the 800th assist of her career on June 4 vs. Los Angeles and the 900th on Aug. 3 at San Antonio
� Played in her 200th career game on May 22 vs. Seattle, all starts, all for the Mercury
� Recorded her 900th career rebound on May 22 vs. Seattle and 1,000th on Aug. 6 vs. San Antonio

2009 WNBA SEASON
� WNBA champion
� WNBA MVP
� WNBA Finals MVP
� 2009 WNBA All-Star
� 2009 All-WNBA First Team

Led the WNBA in scoring with 20.4 points per game, marking the third time in four seasons she�s been the league�s leading scorer

Averaged a career-high 5.7 rebounds per game (22nd-WNBA)

Posted 1.39 blocks per game (8th-NBA), and ranked first among guards

Shot a career-best 46.1 percent from the field (prev. 45.2, 2006)

Ranked seventh in the WNBA in three-point field goal percentage, shooting a career-best 40.7 percent (prev. .297, 2006)

Led the WNBA in three-pointers made (79)

Recorded 20+ points in seven of her last 10 games

Scored 20+ points in 20 of 31 games this season

Phoenix was 16-4 in 2009 when Taurasi scored at least 20 points

Posted two 30-point efforts, bringing her all-time league-best total to 23

Recorded two double-doubles

Scored a then-WNBA season-high 34 points on July 26 at NY

Recorded 34 points and a career-high 13 rebounds on July 26 at NY, the first 30-10 performance in the WNBA in over a year (C. Parker, July 9, 2008, 40-16)

For the second consecutive season, was only player ranking in the top 33 in the WNBA in scoring (1st), rebounds (22nd), assists (T-11th), FG PCT (23st), 3-PT FG PCT (7th), FT PCT (T-6th), steals (30th), blocks (8th) and minutes (19th)

Was named WNBA Player of the Week for the week ending Aug. 16, 2009

Led the Mercury in scoring a team-high 17 times

Led the Mercury in steals a team-high 15 times

Recorded a season-high five steals on Sept. 10 at SEA

Missed two games from July 18-22 due to a team suspension

Became Mercury�s all-time franchise leader in minutes played on June 6 vs. SAN

2008 WNBA SEASON:

Was one of two Mercury players to start all 34 games in 2008 (Miller)

Led the league in scoring (24.1 ppg) for the second time in three seasons (25.3 ppg in 2006), and was awarded her second career Peak Performer award

2008 All-WNBA First Team

Scored 30+ points 10 times, and is now the league�s all-time leader in career 30-point performances with 21

Was only player in the league ranked in the top 30 in scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals, blocks and minutes

Was named Player of the Week four times in 2008 (June 2-8, June 16-22, June 23-29 and September 2-8 ), bringing her career total to nine

Scored a Mercury season-high 37 points at Seattle on June 11, 2008

Scored 20+ points in a Mercury franchise-tying 26 games, a record Taurasi first set in 2006

Recorded two double-doubles

Led the team in scoring a team-high 22 times

Led the team in rebounds 10 times, assists seven times, blocks 13 times, steals 14 times and minutes 12 times

Became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 3,000 career points, doing so in 151 games (previously Lauren Jackson, 162)

Along with Cappie Pondexter, became the first pair of teammates in WNBA history to score 30 or more points in the same game twice on June 20, 2008 (prev. June 6, 2006)

Shot 44.6 percent from the floor, the third consecutive season she�s shot over 44 percent

Re-signed with the Mercury on March 20, 2008

2007 WNBA SEASON:

2007 WNBA All-Star

2007 All-WNBA First Team

Became just the second player in league history to record 500 or more points in each of her first four seasons (Cynthia Cooper)

Became just the fifth player in WNBA history to score 600 or more points in back-to-back seasons (Cooper, Katie Smith, Lauren Jackson, Seimone Augustus)

Second-fastest player to 2,000 points in WNBA history (Jackson and Smith); reached the mark in 104 games

Two-time WNBA Player of the Week in 2007 (August 6, May 28)

Only WNBA player ranked in top 10 in points, assists and blocks

Averaged 19.2 points, third-most in the league

Averaged at least four assists for the third-straight season (4.3, 8th-WNBA)

Two 30-point efforts

Team-high 16 20-point efforts

Led the team in scoring 14 times, steals 11 times, blocks 14 times

Led all WNBA guards in blocks with 1.06 (8th-WNBA)

Shot 44.0 percent from the field

2006 WNBA SEASON:

2006 All-WNBA First Team

2006 WNBA Peak Performer as league�s leading scorer (25.3 ppg)

2006 WNBA All-Star

WNBA All-Decade Team Honorable Mention

Two-time WNBA Player of the Week (July 3-9, August 7-13)

Averaged a WNBA-record 25.3 points per game (prev. 23.1, Katie Smith)

First player in WNBA history to break the 800-point mark in a single season

Scored a league-record 860 points in 2006

Moved into second place on the Mercury all-time scoring list, 828 points behind Jennifer Gillom

Set franchise records for single season double-figure scoring games (33), 20-point games (26), 30-point games (8, ties WNBA record) and 40-point games (2, ties WNBA record)

Second player in league history to record multiple 40-point games in the same season (Smith)

Third player all-time to record multiple 40-point games in a career (Smith, Cynthia Cooper)

Scored a league-record 47 points at Houston on August 10, 2006

Scored a then-franchise record 41 points at Houston on July 27, 2006

Eight scoring efforts of 30 or more points (includes both 40-point efforts) in 34 games in 2006; franchise entered season with nine 30-point efforts in first nine seasons (288 games)

Scored at least 20 points in a WNBA-record 13 consecutive games (last 12 games of 2006, first game of 2007)

Broke Jennifer Gillom�s franchise record for points in a season in just 26 games (624, Gillom set in 30) on July 28, 2006 at San Antonio

Became the fourth player to score 500 or more points in each of her first three seasons (eighth player to do it in three consecutive seasons overall)

Along with Cappie Pondexter, became the first pair of teammates in WNBA history to score 30 or more points in the same game on June 6, 2006

Scored 30 or more points in back-to-back games twice in 2006 (second player all-time)

Shot career-bests from the field (.452) and three-point range (.397, 8th-WNBA)

Dished a team-leading 4.1 assists per game (5th-WNBA)

Averaged a staggering 30.1 points per game in seven games in the month of August (211/7), a franchise record for a single month

Averaged 25.2 points in July (4th all-time, Mercury history) and 23.3 points in May (tied, 6th)

Committed a career-low 79 turnovers despite leading the league in scoring and the team in assists

Additional WNBA records that belong to DT after 2006:

• FGM, season (298) - 3FGM, season (121)
• FGA, game (33) - 3FGA, game (16)
• FGA, season (660) - 3FGA, season (305)

2005 WNBA SEASON:

2005 WNBA All-Star (July 9, 2005; New York)

2005 All-WNBA Second Team

WNBA Player of the Week (August 1-7, 2005)

Became just the fifth player in Mercury history to score over 1,000 career points

Second player in franchise history to score over 1,000 career points in her first two seasons (Gillom)

Nearly had a triple double on August 5, 2005 vs. Houston (27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists)

Scored a then-career-high 31 points in the 2005 season finale at Seattle, the first 30-point effort of her career

Scored in double figures in 28 of 33 games

2004 WNBA SEASON:

2004 WNBA Rookie of the Year

2004 All-WNBA First Team

Selected by the Phoenix Mercury with the No. 1 pick in the 2004 WNBA Draft on April 17, 2004

Led Mercury in scoring with 17.0 points per game

First player in WNBA history to start career with three consecutive 20+ point games (22, 26, 22)

Led all rookies in scoring, three-point field goal percentage, free throw percentage and minutes

Second among rookies in rebounds and assists

Scored 20+ points on 13 occasions

Recorded first career double-double on September 3, 2004 at Houston (27 points, 11 rebounds)

In first season, scored third-most points in a single season in franchise history

COLLEGE CAREER

Led UCONN to three consecutive national championships (2002, 2003, 2004)

NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in two consecutive seasons (2003, 2004)

Naismith Player of the Year Award (best female player in the nation) winner in two consecutive seasons (2003, 2004)

Just the fourth player ever to win back-to-back Naismith awards (Cheryl Miller, Dawn Staley, Chamique Holdsclaw)

Named to the first women�s Wooden Award All-American team for senior season

2003-04 Big East Player of the Year

2004 AP All-American

2002, 2003, 2004 All-BIG EAST First Team

First player in UConn history to finish career with 2,000 points, 600 assists and 600 rebounds

2003 USBWA National Player of the Year

2003 Honda Trophy Award winner for basketball

2003 Wade Trophy recipient

2003 BIG EAST All-Tournament team

2001 Kodak All-American and AP Second Team All-American

2001-02 Naismith Player of the Year and Honda Award for Women�s Basketball Finalist

Named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA East Region in 2001

Named 2001 BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, the first rookie ever to earn the honor

2001 BIG EAST All-Rookie Team

INTERNATIONAL/NATIONAL TEAM � Won gold medal at the 2010 FIBA World Championships

Member of the 2008 USA Basketball Senior National Team that captured the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics

Two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008, 2004)

Named 2006 Female Athlete of the Year by USA Basketball

Member of the bronze medal-winning 2006 USA National Team at the World Championships in Brazil

Averaged 14.3 points in nine games (8-1), second-most behind leading scorer Tina Thompson

In 2008, played a third consecutive season in Russia for Spartak Moscow alongside college teammate Sue Bird

Youngest member of the gold medal-winning 2004 US Women�s National Team in the Athens Olympics

Earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2001 USA Junior World Championship team

Earned a gold medal as a member of the 2000 USA Basketball Women�s Junior World Championship Qualifying team

Member of the 2001 All-FIBA Junior World Championship team � Spent 2010-11 offseason playing for Fenerbahce in Instanbul, Turkey

Named July 2001 USA Basketball �Female Athlete of the Month�

Spent 2008-09 offseason playing for Spartak Moscow in Russia where she led the league in scoring with 20.5 points per game

Spent 2007-08 offseason playing for Spartak Moscow in Russia

Spent 2006-07 offseason playing for Spartak Moscow in Russia

Spent 2005-06 offseason playing for Dynamo in Russia