“She is a Mamba,” says Bryant, as he prepares for his latest run at another NBA title. She was drafted by Phoenix first overall in the 2004 WNBA draft.Taurasi has won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (), three WNBA championships (2007, 2009, and 2014), one WNBA Most Valuable Player Award (), two WNBA Finals … On January 26, NBA legend Kobe Bryant tragically passed away in a helicopter crash along with eight other people, including his daughter Gianna “Gigi” Maria-Onore. Trademark and Copyright 2020 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. She doesn’t keep track of those accolades because they mean nothing to her. She is also the WNBA all-time leading scorer, and is known as “White Mamba,” for her ability to score in clutch situations.

That’s all we can do now is move forward for him.”. Sure. She was also the 2009 WBNA MVP in 2009 and the WBNA Finals MVP in 2009 and 2014. Powered by. Their infectious hunger for the game raises the level of play of everyone on the floor. (CNN) — During his illustrious career at the LA Lakers, Kobe Bryant conquered almost all in the NBA but the superstar was never just content with his own personal success. “Ehh,” says Taurasi as she shrugs off the attention she receives for passing the 4,000-point milestone after the 100-82 Mercury victory. I know alot of people want female soldiers, and places to find them have been posted. However, his words are cherished by Diana Taurasi, one of the women that Bryant referred to in his interview with CNN. All rights reserved. © 1998 - 2020 Nexstar Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Brian David Scalabrine (born March 18, 1978), nicknamed "The White Mamba", is an American former professional basketball player who is currently a television analyst for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). “He had played this long career and we all knew him in this one role but he was just starting to live his life and starting to get into the things he was most curious about.

The controversy—if you can call it that—in Turkey provided Taurasi with a renewed appreciation for the game itself and increased incentive to prove those who vilified her wrong. Being the G.O.A.T. She was on the winning Olympic USA women’s basketball team in 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Taurasi won the WBNA Rookie of the Year Award in 2004, and three WBNA championships in 2007, 2009 and 2014. Or that she has more 30-point games than any other player in league history. When off-court incidents have given players of this caliber every reason to slow down or become complacent, each has utilized them as motivation to become a better player. “A lot of the great basketball pioneers have left the league in great shape and you try to continue that, not only here in America, but overseas as well.”. There were nights we played cards, just hanging out, and you could see it come out,” she told CNN Sport. Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi hits a step-back jumper. Is considered by many as the GOAT (Greatest of All-time) in the NBA. Due in part to her go-hard-or-go-home mentality, Taurasi has managed to create a new level of respect and adoration for women’s basketball across the globe akin to what MJ and Kobe did for the globalization of the NBA. Lamar Khaate Palace Desert Area - Random Female; Mission 14 - Lingua Franca. We promise to carry Gigi’s legacy.” In Spanish, she said “Kobe and Gigi are in the heart of Los Angeles and angels never die. “I mean that Mamba Mentality, it didn’t stop on the basketball court. I think, as of late, people are taking notice and really investing their time and money into it.”.

September 5, 2009. Just days after his interview was published, Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash that also took the lives of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others. I knew Kobe pretty well and he was a guy that was always moving forward. The Mercury defeated the Storm 86-66.

“She represents a time where a young girl doesn’t need permission to play, her skill would command respect.”, She teared up at the end of her speech, saying “as a daughter, a sister, wife and mother, we embrace Vanessa, Natalia, Bianca and Capri. Period. WNBA star Diana Taurasi credits Kobe Bryant for helping grow women's basketball ... Taurasi earned the nickname "White Mamba" -- a derivative of Bryant's own "Black Mamba" monicker. Is it possible that another young lady will come around in the future and have a shot at breaking those records? There is an age-old adage that says everything in life has a silver lining. “The white one.”. Having basketball temporarily taken away from her, even if it was through no fault of her own, was obviously an excruciatingly difficult situation to deal with. Lisa Hagen Oct. 5, 2020 The White Mamba is her on-court persona: The hands-down, best female basketball player in the world. Forget legend, though. Bwala Ya Masa - Random Female; Mission 24 - Close Contact. PHOENIX, AZ – AUGUST 31: Diana Taurasi #3 of the Phoenix Mercury during game three of the WNBA Western Conference Finals against the Seattle Storm at Talking Stick Resort Arena on August 31, 2018 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Taurasi not only plays internationally, she’s earned championships and fame there tantamount to her success on the WNBA side of the pond. “To this point, I don’t believe there’s anyone that has done what she’s done,” Taurasi’s college and Team USA coach, Geno Auriemma, said after she was named WNBA MVP in 2009. From the time she first set foot on the hardwood, this is precisely what Taurasi has done. We love you dearly.”.

“I’m not really one for individual records.”, “The only thing I’m guilty of is taking too many jump shots.” —Diana Taurasi, 2011. Now heading into her eighth season in the WNBA, Taurasi is more motivated and driven to win than ever. Holding on to this game is, literally, the only thing on her mind. Police say 20-year-old Courtney Gray and 22-year-old Carnell Scullark burglarized seven vehicles in a neighborhood near Poplar and McClean. Actually, that might be a bad analogy to use since that was the reality for Taurasi this past winter. Making it’s way up from the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Delta is expected to create a soggy weekend in the Mid-South, but the next couple of days aren’t cause for much concern. We need people to invest. At just 15 years old, to accurately define what it means to be a “legend” in the WNBA can be challenging. Stay up to date on the latest basketball news with our curated email newsletters. As a three-time WNBA champion with Phoenix Mercury, Taurasi earned the nickname “White Mamba” — a derivative of Bryant’s own “Black Mamba” monicker. That’s just incredibly sad.”. “It’s kind of a revolution right now,” says the unstoppable 6-0 wing. Her passion and intensity for the game, if not her style of play itself, is something women’s basketball has never seen. Not surprising, though—she didn’t know she was the fastest player to 3,000 points. Fellow WNBA star Sue Bird, who can also boast four Olympic gold medals, praised Bryant’s influence on the sport. The White Mamba also has three FIBA World Cups from the years 2010, 2014 and 2018. “I think when he said it, he meant it. Not personal honors or individual achievements. If you are a close spectator of women basketball then you certainly would know about Diana Taurasi. As a three-time WNBA champion with Phoenix Mercury, Taurasi earned the nickname “White Mamba” — a derivative of Bryant’s own “Black Mamba” monicker. (Prior to 2011, Taurasi hadn’t had a multiple-week break from professional basketball since her rookie season in ’04.). This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. The White Mamba Diana Taurasi has become the greatest player in WNBA history. If scoring is a crime, they need to take the ball away from Diana Taurasi, lock her out of the gym and throw away the key.

Former L.A. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant believes that there are plenty of female pro basketball ... White Mamba," inspired by Bryant's own moniker, "Black Mamba… Here’s how to stop them, Eating disorders thriving in pandemic: Here are red flags to look for, Forrest City School District will return to class Tuesday, Hawaii man with Parkinson’s runs again thanks to brain surgery, Recall of diabetes medication over cancer-causing contaminant expanded, Stimulus checks: McConnell says stimulus package ‘unlikely in the next three weeks’. In his final interview with CNN Sport, Bryant used his global appeal to once again promote the women’s game, stating that a number of Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) stars could one day compete with the men. not only connotes accomplishing things we’ve never seen another female do on the basketball court, it also means elevating the game to an entirely new level, consistently setting the bar higher for future generations of players. “There is still a sense we need validation. Or that she was the only WNBA player to score 800 points or more in a single season (which she has done twice).