Taurasi toughened up by Turkish tumult

Diana Taurasi hustles down a stairway leading to the practice court at US Airways Center and steps up to the microphone provided just for her. There's nothing "false positive" in the way she begins handling a press conference that will dovetail into the 2011 interpretation of the Phoenix Mercury's media day. But fourth-estate participation is a bit more robust than usual, because the face of the franchise and, perhaps, the WNBA is fielding questions regarding "one of the most stressful times of my life." For the record, that would be the three months separating the moment Taurasi was told she'd tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and a 5 a.m. call made to inform her that the lab in Turkey had committed a huge mistake. "When I got the positive test, I was in complete shock," says Taurasi, who was playing for Fenerbahce, a sports club in Istanbul, because the WNBA isn't exactly a financial paradise. "I really had no clue." She's attacking Monday's volley of inquiry much like she handles in-game pressure -- with poise, skill and far more than a tinge of swagger. Turned out in her Mercury home uniform, the main accessory for Taurasi's familiar No. 3 is the logo of the team's corporate sponsor. The sponsor is a company that helps prevent identity theft. Considering the heist of her reputation, the Fenerbahce suspension and the attendant whispers that such events generate, the irony seems harsh. But she refuses to worry about any residual perception hit. "Because I know I never took it," she says, referring to a stimulant called Modafinil that was alleged to have popped up on the A and B samples taken after a Fenerbahce game last Nov. 15. "I sleep great every night." If anything, the performance-enhancer she didn't take may provide an ancillary boost in motivation as Taurasi and her Mercury teammates prepare for the WNBA season. Athletes who achieve greatness (Taurasi is a three-time NCAA champion, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a two-time WNBA champ, in addition to being the MVP of the regular season and playoffs in the same year) often look for any nugget of inspiration when confronted by the "been there, done that" moment on their competitive clock. Despite his growing familiarity with the O'Brien Trophy, Michael Jordan would embrace any slight -- perceived or real -- to propel himself through the next offseason workout or in-season challenge. So, combined with the aggravated-blister memory of her team being discarded by the eventual champion Seattle Storm last summer, the Mercury guard seems a bit twitchy as the WNBA opener closes in. Being labeled a cheater can leave a sticky residue ... even after the label is torn away. "It toughens you up," Taurasi says when asked what happens when you're falsely accused and must spend three months rehabilitating your good name. If she comes across as excessively hardened, it's probably because she's done this before. Back in October of 2009, Taurasi pleaded guilty to a reduced DUI charge that included a one-day jail trip. Taurasi took the weight for that transgression (athletes refer to such actions as "owning it" these days), expressing considerable regret for letting down her family, friends, teammates and fans. Maybe that's why, after initially vowing that any career moves back to Turkey would take awhile, a more pragmatic Taurasi plans on going back to play next season. "It really can happen anywhere," she says. "It was a mistake one lab made, not one country." What was the mistake, exactly? "I wish I could explain the chemistry," Taurasi says, "but I'm a sociology major." Right, with basketball completing the double-major. So while she's jonesing for WNBA competition, the unscheduled break from EuroLeauge ball may come in handy. "It was getting very stressful," says Taurasi, who played in Russia for five seasons before joining Fenerbahce this past season. "This time off made me realize how difficult it is to go from one season and go right into the WNBA season. It's hard to maintain." But her love of basketball -- piggybacked on support from family and a tight circle of friends -- enabled Taurasi to sustain at least the shell of positive outlook until she was cleared Feb. 16. "It's not part of our world," Taurasi says of any possible alliance between basketball players and performance-enhancing substances. "The only thing I'm guilty of is putting in a lot of hours in the gym."