Dec 27, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Mercury player Diana Taurasi in attendance of the Phoenix Suns game against the Dallas Mavericks at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Why Mercury's Taurasi Flourished In The 2023 Season

Originally posted on Phoenix Mercury On SI
By Davion Moore | Last updated Jan 9, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The 2023 season was a bad year for the Phoenix Mercury, and it snapped their postseason streak. The Mercury made the playoffs every year since 2013, and after finishing 9-31, that streak was over.

The 2013 season was the year they brought in Brittney Griner, and she had a successful rookie season. Griner helped get the Mercury back in the playoffs, and in her second season, they won a championship.

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When it comes to 2023, Griner was the team's leading scorer. She averaged 17.5 points that year, and outside of her, the Mercury had three other players who averaged double figures.

Diana Taurasi was one of them, and she averaged 16.0 points. Then, Sophie Cunningham averaged 11.3 points and Moriah Jefferson averaged 10.5.

Taurasi makes history against Eastern Conference team

Taurasi had a solid year, and she made history in the process. She scored 415 points that season, and her best performance was a 42-point game against the Atlanta Dream. The Mercury beat the Dream 91-71, and with her game, she reached 10,000 points. By the end of her career, she had 10,646 points and she remains the WNBA's all-time leading scorer.

The guard's game against Atlanta was five points shy of her career high, as she had 47 points against the Houston Comets. That outing was back in 2006, and it went into triple overtime.

Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Phoenix's star had some strong showings in the 2023 season, and right before the matchup with the Dream, she had 29 points. The Mercury faced the Indiana Fever in that game, and the Fever beat them by one. Taurasi played well, and on top of her 29 points, she had five rebounds and three assists.

After her big game against the Dream, she had 28 points against the Seattle Storm. She also had four rebounds and two assists. The Mercury lost that game, but Taurasi managed to have a good performance.

Taurasi would play one more season, and while the Mercury missed the playoffs in 2023, they were right back in the postseason the following year. Phoenix lost the series, but Taurasi had a chance to play in the playoffs one last time.