It’s fitting that the late great Kobe Bryant nicknamed Diana Taurasi the white mamba in her earlier years of playing. What’s also most fitting, is how Taurasi became the first woman’s player to ever hit 10,000 career points and she did it with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In case many of you don’t know, those were the two jersey numbers Bryant played with when he played for the Los Angeles Lakers in his career.
Named the White Mamba by Kobe, Diana Taurasi scored her 10,000th point with 8:24 on the clock. pic.twitter.com/HpldhGCSv8
— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) August 4, 2023
Bryant was a huge ambassador for women’s basketball and his late daughter GiGi was a girl that loved basketball and was going to one day be a player that might walk in Taurasi’s footsteps as well.
It’s little moments captured in pictures that shouldn’t be taken for granted and Taurasi after the game described what went on during the play for her to make such an historic shot.
“You know at that point I was just trying to find a good shot or a bad shot it was going up”, Taurasi says. “But I’m kind of happy it happened with a three. I’m happy that someone set a screen. I’m happy that someone passed me the ball. That’s how basketball is played with everyone having a little part and it’s perfect.”
Diana Taurasi Makes History; Becomes First WNBA player to reach 10,000 points
That quote right there is the embodiment of who Taurasi is as a player. That aggression and confidence are almost reminiscent of Kobe Bryant hence why it’s fitting the shot happened when it did.
