Sitting at 10,646 career points, Diana Taurasi is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer with a 3,000-point differential between her and second place. Taurasi has no shortage of accolades, winning three NCAA Championships during college and another three during her 20 seasons in the professional league. The guard was also the 2009 WNBA MVP and a two-time WNBA Finals MVP, along with many other awards from playing overseas. Many regard her as the GOAT of women’s basketball, and on February 25, she announced her retirement via TIME magazine.
Taurasi’s rise to the top demanded dedication and stubbornness—a refusal to lose. In the article, the basketball player describes a moment in her college career when her coach, the renowned Geno Auriemma, asked each of her teams to dribble straight into her body and knock her down. “I didn’t fall once,” expresses Taurasi, exemplifying her competitive nature even in the face of her coaches. Young athletes can take inspiration from her aggressive mindset and self-confidence, which made her one of the most decorated female basketball players. Taurasi is a great example of how girls don’t have to be nice or put on a front to gain success in their chosen fields, but rather authenticity will lead you to where you need to be.