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Posts tagged as “Diana Taurasi”

Full list of ESPYS 2025 Award winner with Caitlin Clark bagging the Best WNBA Player

July 17, 2025

The 2025 ESPYS just concluded their presentation of the greatest athletes and moments in sports this year, and below are the winners. As a sport, basketball got the most awards this year, with 7 players taking home particular honors. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder received two awards: Best NBA Player and Best Athlete – Men’s Sports. On the women’s side, Caitlin Clark was awarded Best WNBA Player, while Cooper Flagg and JuJu Watkins bagged the Best College Athlete awards for male and female, respectively.

Then we have the legends of the sports, Diana Taurasi and former USWNT player Alex Morgan were honored with the prestigious Icon Award, while former NBA player Oscar Robertson received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.

Here’s the full list of winners of the 2025 ESPY Awards.

  • Best Championship Performance: Simone Biles, Olympic gymnastics all-around
  • Best Play: Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle
  • Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Sloane Stephens
  • Capital One Cup Winners: UNC women and Ohio State men
  • Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Katie Schumacher-Cawley
  • Icon Award: Alex Morgan and Diana Taurasi

  • Pat Tillman Award for Service: Los Angeles County firefighters David Walters and Erin Regan
  • Gatorade Players of the Year: Jane Hedengren and Cameron Boozer
  • Best Comeback Athlete: Suni Lee, USA Gymnastics
  • Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Rishin Tandon, Maegha Ramanathan and Ian Waite
  • Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Oscar Robertson
  • Best Athlete – Men’s Sports: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

  • Best Record-Breaking Performance: Alexander Ovechkin, NHL all-time goals leader
  • Best Team: Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
  • Best NBA Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Best WNBA Player: Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

  • Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports: Cooper Flagg, Duke men’s basketball
  • Best College Athlete – Women’s Sports: JuJu Watkins, USC women’s basketball
  • Best Athlete with a Disability: Noah Elliott, Para Snowboarding
  • Best NFL Player: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
  • Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Best NHL Player: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
  • Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1
  • Best UFC Fighter: Merab Dvalishvili
  • Best Boxer: Katie Taylor
  • Best Soccer Player: Christian Pulisic, AC Milan, USMNT
  • Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
  • Best Tennis Player: Coco Gauff

Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi retires after 20 years in the WNBA

February 26, 2025

Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi has officially announce that “she’s retiring from basketball.”

In an article published by Time Magazine;

Taurasi reveals publicly for the first time that she’s retiring from basketball. “Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” says Taurasi, who played all 20 of her WNBA seasons for the Mercury. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

She played for the Phoenix Mercury, who drafted her at first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft and played for the team for 20 years. The late Kobe Bryant gave her the nickname “White Mamba” and she is the leading scorer in WNBA history and voted “greatest of all time” by the WNBA’s fans.

As for accolades, Taurasi is one of 11 women to win an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup, and a WNBA Championship.

Team USA Women’s Basketball Roster for 2024 Paris Olympics now Official

June 12, 2024
Team USA Women’s Basketball Roster for 2024 Paris Olympics now Official

After being leaked a couple of days ago, the official roster for the Team USA Women’s Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics have been officially announced.

As previously leaked and now official, below are the official roster of Team USA Women’s Basketball for 2024 Paris Olympics;

Player WNBA Team Position
Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx Forward
Kahleah Copper Phoenix Mercury Guard/Forward
Chelsea Gray Las Vegas Aces Guard
Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center
Sabrina Ionescu New York Liberty Guard
Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm Guard
Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces Guard
Breanna Stewart New York Liberty Forward
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury Guard
Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun Forward
A’ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces Forward/Center
Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces Guard/Forward

USA Women’s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve with the assistance of Kara Lawson, Joni Taylor and Mike Thibault.

Here is what USA Basketball Women’s National Team Committee chair Jen Rizzotti said in the official statement;

“On behalf of USA Basketball, I’m excited to announce the 2024 USA Women’s National Team, We have selected a team that we are confident will represent our country to the highest standard in Paris. Basketball in the United States boasts unparalleled depth, making this a challenging and competitive process. The commitment these athletes have shown to USA Basketball is unmatched and I look forward to watching them take on the World in Paris.”

This is what USA Women’s National Team head coach Cheryl Reeve said regarding the roster;

“This roster features some of the best basketball talent our country has to offer and I’m excited to lead this team with the goal of winning an eighth straight Olympic gold medal in Paris, I’m looking forward to getting together in Phoenix and starting the journey to Paris.”

Team USA Women’s Basketball Roster for 2024 Leaked sans Caitlin Clark – Shams Charania

June 9, 2024

The roster for the 2024 USA Basketball Women’s National Team have been leaked. In a tweet, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that “Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark is expected to be left off the 12-player Team USA women’s basketball roster for the upcoming Summer Olympics”

Charania then added and named the 12 players in the roster. Except for Kahleah Copper, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum and Alyssa Thomas. All other players have Olympic experience. Fans also pointed out that rookie phenom Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever is missing from the roster. Despite receiving an invitation to the USA Basketball Women’s National Team training camp last April, Iowa Hawkeyes standout Caitlin Clark couldn’t attend due to her team’s Final Four run.

Player WNBA Team Position
Napheesa Collier Minnesota Lynx Forward
Kahleah Copper Phoenix Mercury Guard/Forward
Chelsea Gray Las Vegas Aces Guard
Brittney Griner Phoenix Mercury Center
Sabrina Ionescu New York Liberty Guard
Jewell Loyd Seattle Storm Guard
Kelsey Plum Las Vegas Aces Guard
Breanna Stewart New York Liberty Forward
Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury Guard
Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun Forward
A’ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces Forward/Center
Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces Guard/Forward

The final USA Women’s Basketball roster and list of potential alternates must be submitted to FIBA by June 24th. While no official announcement has been made by the USA Basketball on their official website or social media accounts.