The short answer is “yes” if the question is “Will Diana Taurasi be inducted into the Women’s Basketball and Naismith Memorial Basketball Halls of Fame after she puts away her jersey?”
But could DT3’s second act also include her as the owner of a sports team?
Taurasi’s four-hour Instagram Live session that also included Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe (Bird’s girlfriend) and Penny Taylor (Taurasi’s wife).
The four-hour long Instagram live definitely provided for entertaining content – sorely needed while all of us are trapped in the seemingly endless time loop that is quarantine. Part of that content included Taurasi calling out wealthy women for what she sees is a lack of investment in women’s sports.
Where are the rich women? I’m so disappointed in the women that have a lot of money.
–Diana Taurasi (Instagram Live)
Sometimes you invest in things that don’t make money yet, but you want to make them better.
–Diana Taurasi (Instagram Live)
“How many MVPs should you have won?” This live is everything. @S10Bird @mPinoe @DianaTaurasi pic.twitter.com/6xFOmOh3Fv
— WSLAM (@wslam) April 26, 2020
Taurasi is calling out women to “Bet on Women,” essentially. More Dawn Trudeaus. More Alisha Valavanises. More Sheila Johnsons. More Mary Brocks. She said she constantly gets asked questions about what her plans are after her playing days – and that she is constantly asked if she wants to coach or be a general manager.
Could anyone imagine if Taurasi one day became the owner of – the Los Angeles Sparks? Perhaps it is a longshot, but Taurasi made sure to bring up the Sparks and its recent transgressions.
She referred to Los Angeles’ organization as a “mess” and a “sh*tshow.”
The Sparks have had their fair share of headlines this offseason. It began with the Sparks getting swept in the 2019 WNBA semifinals by the Connecticut Sun. Then that damning Ramona Shelburne report on ESPN that detailed former Sparks general manager Penny Toler shouting obscenities at Los Angeles players after Game 2 of that series (as well as why Candace Parker was benched in Game 3 by Derek Fisher).
Toler was then let go by the Sparks and she later sued the organization alleging the real reason she was let go was that she revealed improper relationships between Los Angeles higher ups and that she was discriminated against by the organization on the basis of gender.
PSA: This live is on hour 4 and it’s genuinely getting better by the minute. @S10Bird @DianaTaurasi @mPinoe pic.twitter.com/GBpYoGas6z
— WSLAM (@wslam) April 26, 2020
Los Angeles may not have had the draft to speak of given it did not have the breadth of picks that the New York Liberty and Dallas Wings had. Of course, the Liberty selected Sabrina Ionescu with the first overall pick, but there was a difference of opinion on who Taurasi and Bird believe would end up leading the class of this year’s draft.
While Taurasi believed that it would be Ionescu, Bird chose Chennedy Carter, who was chosen fourth overall by the Atlanta Dream.
It’s just going to be upon her to understand when and why and what to do in the framework of her for her team to win.
–Sue Bird (Instagram Live)
They check you out, they see what you’re up to, and then the scouting report is like, ‘Take this away, take that away.’ That’s when you find out what you’re made of.
–Sue Bird (Instagram Live)
IG Live Special: Diana Taurasi’s WNBA Mount Rushmore pic.twitter.com/GNbvfWOYFX
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) April 26, 2020
Another fascinating part of the Instagram Live chat was when Bird and Taurasi talked about the Olympics, which Covid-19 has forced a postponement of to 2021.
The stark reality is that even if both Bird and Taurasi make the team, they will be a year older than they would have been had the Games proceeded this year as planned.
They should put the team together that has the best chance to win. It’s not the best players – it’s the ensemble of complementary players. And if you don’t think I can give you that, I’m out.
–Diana Taurasi (Instagram Live)
Bird also believes that with the projections of more money heading in the direction of WNBA players because of the new collective bargaining agreement that it could be a motivating factor for future generations of players.
All of us in the WNBA played for pride. You played to prove your worth as a basketball player.
–Sue Bird (Instagram Live)
I’ll say it again: @S10Bird and @DianaTaurasi need their own regular show.#goatchat @wnba pic.twitter.com/eQNQelE4VM
— Lyndsey D’Arcangelo (@darcangel21) April 26, 2020
