UConn in the WNBA: Taurasi (maybe) says goodbye; Charles makes history; Mühl scores first points

Diana Taurasi hasn’t said conclusively what her plans are following the 2024 WNBA season, but that didn’t stop the Phoenix Mercury from celebrating her in the team’s final home game of the regular season on Thursday night as if it was her final game.

The Mercury made custom t-shirts and jerseys for Taurasi, pulled her out for a curtain call late in the contest, had her speak to the crowd postgame and put together a thoughtful tribute video.

Those close to Taurasi showed up, too. Geno Auriemma, Chris Dailey and Morgan Valley all traveled from Storrs while Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe were in attendance, as were Taurasi’s parents.

Through it all, Taurasi never revealed her actual plans, saying she’ll decide after the playoffs.

“I think once the season’s over, I’ll have a better idea of what it looks like for me,” Taurasi said.

“As soon as we win this championship, this decision will come quick,” she added later.

There was still a sense of finality in the air on Thursday night. At one point, the crowd began cheering “One more year!” when Taurasi remarked: “I think they tricked Sue with that,” referencing Bird’s decision to play an additional season in 2022 after fans in Seattle chanted the same thing at the end of the 2021 campaign.Subscribe

If this is the end, Taurasi has the resume to be considered the greatest women’s basketball player of all time. After winning three national championships at UConn, she was drafted No. 1 overall by the Phoenix Mercury, where she’s spent the entirety of her 19-year career. Taurasi has won three WNBA titles to go with a record six Olympic gold medals and three World Cups. She’s the league’s all-time scorer and 3-point leader as well.

Taurasi’s quest for a fourth WNBA championship will begin on Sept. 22 when the 7-seed Mercury take on the 2-seed Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs.

Charles makes history (twice)

Tina Charles made history twice on Thursday night, becoming the WNBA’s all-time rebounds and double-doubles in the Atlanta Dream’s regular season finale. She surpassed Sylvia Fowles for both those marks.

“I can’t take this moment without mentioning Sylvia Fowles and what she’s meant to my career,” Charles said postgame. “The heights she reached, the great person she is, it’s pretty special, full circle for me.”

The former rookie of the year and MVP moved into first place on the rebounds list with three in the first quarter then got her record-setting double-double in the third quarter. She finished the night with 4,014 rebounds and 194 double-doubles.

While taking a moment to look back on her career, Charles pointed to her time at UConn as a reason for her success.

“I just think of my freshman year at UConn and [Geno Auriemma] saying I had one more rebound than a dead person,” she said. “That’s the first thing that comes to mind. That’s how he is. Everything started at UConn and what they instilled in me.”

Charles can still continue to build on both records this season. With a 78-67 win on Thursday night, the Dream clinched a spot in the playoffs as the 8-seed. They’ll take on the No. 1 New York Liberty in a best-of-three series that begins on Sept. 22.

Nika Mühl scores her first WNBA points

It took until the final game of the regular season but at long last, Nika Mühl scored her first WNBA points in the Seattle Storm’s 89-70 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night. Fittingly, it came off a steal.

Mühl’s basket happened on the 12th shot of her professional career after 53 minutes of action. In a remarkable coincidence, her first points at UConn were also on her 12th shot attempt following 58 minutes of play.

To make Mühl’s moment even more special, Geno Auriemma witnessed it live since he was in the crowd to see Diana Taurasi play what may have been the final home game of her career. Sue Bird was there for that same reason and got out of her seat for Mühl’s basket.

Even Paige Bueckers joined in on the excitement from back in Storrs.

The Storm enter the playoffs as the fifth seed, where they will play the two-time defending champion and fourth seeded Las Vegas Aces in a three-game series starting on Sept. 22. Las Vegas will host the first two games but it’ll shift back to Seattle for Game Three, if necessary.