WNBA all-time leading scorer Diana Taurasi returns to Mercury

PHOENIX — Diana Taurasi, the WNBA's all-time leading scorer, signed a multiyear contract to return to the Phoenix Mercury for at least a 19th season in 2023, the team announced Saturday morning.

The 40-year-old Taurasi said Feb. 7 that her intention was to re-sign with the only team she has played for but added that there was a possibility she could end up elsewhere during this round of free agency.

Saturday's announcement ended that speculation.

«Diana Taurasi belongs in a Mercury uniform, and we are grateful for the continued faith she demonstrates in our organization by returning year after year,» Mercury general manager Jim Pitman said. «The way she prepares her body, how much she cares about winning, and how much she cares about our franchise — on and off the court — are just a few of the things that make her a transcendent athlete and quite literally the greatest of all time.

»We look forward to more accolades, more historic moments, and more wins."

Taurasi's return puts her in line to play again with Brittney Griner if Griner re-signs with the Mercury, which she announced was her intention in an Instagram post on Dec. 16.

Taurasi is coming off a tumultuous season that was marked by Griner's absence. However, the season ended with a 10th straight trip to the playoffs. Taurasi averaged her most minutes per game since 2013, going against then-first-year head coach Vanessa Nygaard's plans for the 10-time WNBA All-Star.

Taurasi finished the season averaging 16.7 points, 3.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds. She made 92 3-pointers in 2022, which were the second most in the league. A player has made at least 90 3-pointers in a season six times in WNBA history, and Taurasi is responsible for five of them.

She also became the