Quotes from Diana Taurasi

My favorite basketball shoe is the '92 Nike Uptempo - white/black/turquoise or you can go with the all black/white, which I loved.

Sometimes you need to step away from the game. I've had to do that in different manners in my career.

Who's going to want to hire me in the business world? I have no work experience.

When I first arrived at UConn, I told myself I was going to dedicate my life to basketball. And when you do something like that, you alienate a lot of other things in your life that most people think are normal things to do.

Being loyal through thick and thin, ups and downs, it makes the special moments that much more special.

I always say that I know I'll be done playing basketball when I stop fighting on the floor. If you don't play with that edge or that competitive spirit, you're just another player out there. I can only speak for myself, but when I don't play with that fight then I'm just ordinary.

I've played in four Olympics. I'm grateful for that.

The minute you get in a five-game series, you start thinking strategy, you start thinking about adjustments. Single elimination, you've got to go all out, all-in. I think that affects the coaching, it affects the playing, it affects the psyche going into the game.

Some people have knees, ankles. It's always been my back. That's been one thing I've always had to be conscious about strengthening and being in rehab. Pretty much I've always rehabbed it.

I used to be the kid that when we got to practice I didn't even stretch.

You can have an all-star team but not everyone plays at an all-star level.

When they say my name, I want them to say the Phoenix Mercury and vice versa. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I always say there's a couple things that I look at when I'm playing basketball. Do I enjoy going to the gym? Do I enjoy being in the locker room? When I get on the court do I still have that competitive fire to hate the person I'm playing against?