← No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
No Offseason: The Athletic Women's Basketball Show
Diana Taurasi on Paige Bueckers + retirement plans
00:12:17
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- [00:01]
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Flauje Johnson
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- [02:46]
Host
Welcome back to no offseason we are joined Olympic gold medalist, three time WNBA champion, the league's all time leading scorer who was voted as the goat in 2021. It is the Diana Taurasi DT. Thank you for taking this time with us. How are you doing?
- [03:00]
Diana Taurasi
Thanks for having me.
- [03:02]
Host
I guess the place I wanted to start is just the broadest question that I'm sure people are most curious about. Just what has retirement been like for you? What's taken up most of your time? What's your day to day like?
- [03:12]
Diana Taurasi
Yeah, you know, retirement is, it's a funny thing because you think you're going to have all this time to do all the things you've wanted to do and next thing you know you're just, you know, you're driving the kids around everywhere. Soccer practice, school, basketball practice, tennis, birthday parties, end of year graduation parties. So you know, I've been busy, I've been busy with the family and it's been wonderful. Really. It's been so nice to be present. I forgot how much of a mental toll getting ready for a basketball season is and being in a season, you know, it takes up so much of your mental space physically, mentally. So it's been nice to be on the other side.
- [03:49]
Host
When you take your, you know, your kids to basketball practice or soccer practice, are you, do you get any urge not to play? Obviously. But just to be like, how was this coach running a practice? How would I run this practice differently? Look at this kid. What are they doing out there? Do you have those feelings that, you.
- [04:07]
Diana Taurasi
Know, I try to go and I try to just let the kids have fun? You know, I think that is the one thing that I learned early on is when you let them decide to do it, that's when you get the best outcomes. And to be honest, at seven, if you get to, you're good.
- [04:26]
Host
Right. At eight, it's a different story though.
- [04:29]
Diana Taurasi
Now we're doing drills.
- [04:31]
Host
Exactly. Have you WNB season obviously just kicked off. Did you watch games on the opening weekend or did you fully detox?
- [04:39]
Diana Taurasi
You know, I didn't watch. I didn't watch as much as I wanted to. You Know, I kind of chimed in here and there, but it was a busy weekend so I didn't get to watch a lot of it. But you know, like anything, opening weekend is the best. You know, I think there's so much fan anticipation. You haven't seen your team in six months. You haven't seen these players. And from the player side, you know, that is the best night. It is the kickoff to like the best summer you'll have. And your team is, you know, whether it's a returning team with a lot of veterans that you've been around together for a long time or a new team. But opening night really is, it's so much fun for everyone.
- [05:14]
Host
Did you watch the Phoenix Mercury's first game or no?
- [05:16]
Diana Taurasi
You know what, I didn't even watch the Phoenix Mercury for opening night. It had to be their night and I'm so glad we won. SATSU played amazing at, had a great night. Once we get KA back, I'm really excited for this new team. I love what they've done. You know, that's my team for life. I'm always rooting for them. I'm going to be cheering them on all summer.
- [05:32]
Host
I guess to your career. Two questions on it. I mean, Satu, obviously she scores 27 points in her career. You mentioned it. It's a bit more than the 22 that you had during your debut back in 2004. The schedule is also growing though. And so now obviously 44 games, a record. Just how do you feel about players now getting 44 games, some records potentially being broken, A little bit of a bigger sample size than what you had when you were playing. Do you have any thoughts on that?
- [05:57]
Diana Taurasi
Just if you're good at math, all the records will be broken now. I mean, there's just more games or more playoff games now. I think they've added a couple of games to the series now. So I mean all the numbers, they're going to be broken. You know, whether it's, you know, points, games, minutes, assists, three point field goals made and you know, that's the beauty of records. They're there to be set and to be broken and to set the next mark for the next generation to break and you know, like anything, that's what they're there for. But you know, what are you going to do? They've added more games.
- [06:27]
Host
Absolutely. And I guess on the topic of change, I mean, obviously there's an ongoing CBA negotiation. I guess when you kind of step back, no longer being in it, you know, what do you kind of Hope comes next. Are there. Do you have thoughts on what you think the players should prioritize or when you think about their priorities that are already stated and out there are the ones that you think, you know, especially resonate with you, I guess, as you look toward the future?
- [06:50]
Diana Taurasi
Yeah, I mean, for the longest time, I, I've always been a big proponent of player salaries. I, I think once you start increasing player salaries and all the other things fall in line for a long time. You know, we've tried to subsidize all these things underneath player salaries, but at a certain point, you have to pay the best players in the world, in the best league in the world what they deserve. And I think now with viewership and the new media deal, I think all those things are in play now. And like anything, it's negotiation. The players want certain things, the owners in the league want a certain thing. And, you know, at the end of the day, you have to come to the table and you have to negotiate and you have to give and take on certain things. And I'm sure, you know, with this new cba, that's what it'll be. You know, and like anything, our league's at its best when we're lacing them up and playing.
- [07:35]
Host
If you were going to be in Terry Jackson's shoes or neck, Ogumike shoes or any of your former colleagues in the wnba, I mean, do you have a number in mind that you think they should try and hit or you're going to leave that?
- [07:46]
Diana Taurasi
I think that million dollar mark is always a sexy one. Right. I think that's when you feel like, as a player, you're making what you should make. And I think that number has always been the number overseas that has made people go there for a long time. And, you know, like anything, there's so many things that go into a negotiation. You know, I can say a million dollars, I can say $2 million. But at the end of the day, once they get into the books and they see what the league is generating and, you know, the revenue from TV and in games, and then those true numbers will really come out. And, you know, there's obviously other things too. As a player, you want to be in situations where it's an average playing field for everyone, it's fair, and I think practice facilities and the everyday welfare of a player should be at a certain standard across the league. And I think we're getting there. There's certain, you know, franchises that are, that are still working to get there as well.
- [08:36]
Host
I mean, you mentioned Standards. And you talk about some of the things you dealt with your throughout your career. I mean, something you had to deal with throughout your career that I don't think most fans know about was, you know, you're dealing with eczema or of your situation with eczema. Just how did that affect you while you were a player on the court?
- [08:51]
Diana Taurasi
Yeah, I mean, eczema, it's something that I battled with my whole life. You know, ever since I got to college. You know, it started getting out of control and, you know, I would have flare ups and, you know, it's the one sport where you really can't hide it. You know, when it flares up, it's really noticeable, it's uncomfortable, you know, and for a long time, I really didn't know how to manage it. I would use, you know, all the lotions and the steroid creams and all these things that keep it at bay, but, you know, nothing really helped me get it under control. And, you know, lucky enough, I got to partner up with Sanofin Regeneron, you know, and I went to my dermatologist and I was like, I need something different. I need something that's gonna work and really change the way I look at eczema and the way it affects me. And, you know, I started Dupixent and it's really changed my outlook on an everyday basis on how eczema and I have this, you know, long lasting relationship.
- [09:42]
Host
But it was something. Even going back to your UConn days, you were thinking about or dealing with them.
- [09:46]
Diana Taurasi
Oh, for sure. Yeah. You know, I look back on some of those Connecticut pictures and, you know, old highlights, and I'm like, wow, I was really struggling and, you know, I was a young kid. The last thing I wanted to tell anyone is I had eczema. Even, you know, as a 30 year old, you're always finding ways to ignore the problem. And, you know, as I got older, I needed a solution. And, you know, it's different for everyone, but there is a treatment that's right for you. And once you find that sweet spot and once you're okay with it, then that's really when you can, you know, change the way you feel about eczema.
- [10:20]
Host
And treating it a certain way makes sense, I guess. Speaking of the University of Connecticut, obviously Paige Beckers makes her debut, has now played two games to start. I know you've been asked the question of what advice you would give her, but do you see similarities about how do you think she should approach getting started and having Lost two games to open her career. What do you just remember about that adjustment period that might inform what she's going through right now?
- [10:42]
Diana Taurasi
You know, the best thing about playing in Connecticut is that you don't lose a lot of games. And the worst thing about playing at Connecticut is, you know, you don't lose a lot of games. And, you know, the wnba, as I've said before in other platforms, it's a different beast. There's different challenges, you know, as an individual, as a team. You know, obviously, when you get drafted, number one, you're usually going to a team that's rebuilding, that's starting to try something new. You know, Dallas has had some great history. They have some great players. Last year, their year didn't go as expected, and that's why they got the number one pick. So there's a lot of challenges when you get to a team in a franchise that's rebuilding, and, you know, you kind of have to change your outlook on wins and losses. You take the wins as far as getting better every single game. And as you can tell already, Paige, from game one to game two, she was a different player, and from game two to game ten, she's going to be a different player. And that's going to go for their team as well as they learn each other on the court and off the court as well. So, you know, the one thing I know about Paige is she's so grounded, she's so patient, she's so prepared. And I think she's learned that in the last four or five years. And all those things that she learned at Connecticut, you know, they're going to change the way you look at that team. And, you know, one day she's going to end up being the best player in the league for sure.
- [12:01]
Host
Do you think she'll end up being the best player in the league one day?
- [12:03]
Diana Taurasi
Oh, absolutely. I mean, Paige's instincts on the court are just incredible. You know, there's a special skill and talent when you can galvanize a group of people. And I've been, you know, around her long enough to know that once they get the right group around her, you know, and with her skill set to be able to distribute and score, you know, Paige just has tremendous talent. And once it's unlocked, you know, I'm going to be excited to watch her play.
- [12:29]
Host
I guess, as we close this out, you know, on the other end of the spectrum, your old, I guess your current friend, your old College teammate at UConn, Sue Bird, she's obviously taken on a New role in the basketball space with USA Basketball being the managing director, I guess. One, do you ever see yourself getting back into basketball, professional Olympic team ownership in some kind of capacity?
- [12:50]
Diana Taurasi
Yeah, I mean, what Sue's doing is incredible. There's no person better than sue to do that role. You know, why wouldn't you take the best point guard of all time to lead our USA Basketball team into the next generation? Just tremendous accomplishment in so many ways for her. And you know, as far as myself, I don't see basketball not being in my life in the next 10 to 20 years in a different capacity. Ownership is something that I've always been passionate about and, you know, I'm working towards that and, you know, having different conversations. I think, you know, when you can get to the point in your life where you can actually make decisions to change things, you know, I think that's really impactful, especially when you've been in the trenches and you know, what it takes to put together a winning team and a winning culture. You know, I'm going to use all those things that I've learned in the last 20 years of my professional career and even before that to hopefully one day lead a team.
- [13:45]
Host
But that is something on your table, on your radar currently as we speak to.
- [13:48]
Diana Taurasi
Yeah, absolutely.
- [13:49]
Host
Gotcha. Last two quick ones for me. You know, obviously we need an heir to the to slick back bun. Who in the W is going to be the heir to what? You, Your trademark? Look.
- [14:00]
Diana Taurasi
I mean, there is one special young lady from Los Angeles, Southern California that is one of my favorite players of all time already by juju. So by all means, I will pass the bun torch to juju today.
- [14:15]
Host
That is, I think, I think she will take that and run with it for the next 15, 20 years or so. And last one, I know you've probably been asked to make a lot of predictions heading into the season, but who do you think will lead the league in technical fouls this year? Another category near and dear to your heart.
- [14:28]
Diana Taurasi
Well, technical fouls, I'm going to go. I have two great candidates. Either my girl, Natasha Cloud and sneaky one. I'm going to go. Caitlin. Caitlin's Caitlin Sharp. Caitlin Sharp. I got you, Caitlyn. I knew, yeah, those two, those two are going to compete.
- [14:43]
Host
Nobody does it like Diana Taurasi on the court, in college, in the wnba, in the Olympics, and now post career firing off takes, drawing technical fouls, I'm sure, even with comments like that. So, dt, we appreciate you joining no off season and making a little bit.
- [14:58]
Diana Taurasi
Of time no problem. Thank you guys.
- [15:01]
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- [16:04]
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