The older athletes get, the more the word “retirement” is tossed around.
For some, injuries get in the way. Others simply cannot keep up the way they used to in their prime. Most professional athletes retire at or before age 40.
But not Diana Taurasi.
If you gave her the option, the Phoenix Mercury star probably would play until her legs fell off. And while she knows she won’t play basketball forever, the 38-year-old doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon.
“It’s funny, there’s all these slogans like ‘You’re never too old to keep dreaming.’ You know it’s funny how in the basketball world, and in the business world where you’re just supposed to stop,” she told ESPN’s Katie Barnes. “In the sports world, I feel like at 35 you’re just supposed to stop. If you do, that’s great.
“I’m not stopping,” she added, “I don’t feel like I should stop right now. Who knows? In six months, it could be a different story. But right now, people ask me what I want to do after basketball … I’m doing basketball right now. I’m doing everything I can to be on the court. Not to be in the front office, not to coach. My sole objective is to be on the court and to be (expletive). It’s just simple.”
Let’s be honest, this isn’t too surprising. Taurasi has proved her dedication to the WNBA plenty of times throughout her 16-year career and still is considered one of the toughest players in the league despite being one of the oldest.
Barring any significant development, we don’t expect her to go anywhere anytime soon. And clearly, neither does she.
