Mercury's Diana Taurasi first in WNBA to reach 10,000 points - ESPN

PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi made history yet again Thursday.

The Phoenix Mercury star became the first player in WNBA history to score 10,000 career points when she hit a 3-pointer off a screen from 28 feet with 8:23 left in the third quarter against the Atlanta Dream at the Footprint Center.

Taurasi, who entered the game 18 points shy of the mark, had 10 at halftime, then made a driving layup to open the third quarter before sinking consecutive 3-pointers to get her 10,000th point.

«On behalf of the WNBA and basketball fans worldwide, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Diana on reaching the incredible milestone of 10,000 points as she continues to author new chapters [in] an illustrious WNBA career,» league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a prepared statement. «Diana's achievement stands as a testament to her skill, determination, and unwavering dedication to the game, which along with her competitive nature, has captivated fans with her incredible scoring ability, clutch performances, and unparalleled basketball IQ. We are honored to witness this milestone.»

Taurasi's 10,000th point came on the 1,344th 3-point field goal of her WNBA career. The only other player in league history with at least 1,000 3-pointers is Sue Bird with 1,001.

Thursday night's milestone was the latest accomplishment in Taurasi's Hall of Fame career. Taurasi, who's midway through her 19th WNBA season, became the league's all-team leading scorer in 2017. She is also the first player in league history to reach 8,000 points, which she did in 2018, and 9,000 points, which she did in 2021. Tina Thompson is the next closest career scorer at 7,488 points.

«It's a lifetime's work,» Taurasi told ESPN in June. «Ten thousand is going to be