Phoenix leads the league in road-game attendance. The team's Web site gets more traffic than any other team. Taurasi's jersey is the league's No. 2 seller, behind Lisa Leslie's.
Taurasi's popularity has benefited the entire league. She joked about the WNBA at the ESPY Awards and at the NBA draft lottery, where she represented the Phoenix Suns.
Diana Taurasi, left, is averaging a rookie-best 16.5 points.
(AP file)
|
| _____ Countdown to Athens _____
• The Olympics are less than a week away and organizers are pulling the pieces together for the Aug. 13 opening.
_____ From The Post _____
• Dana Vollmer will be one of those tales of courage that come up during the Olympics.
• Michael Wilbon: In Athens, the new can't hold a torch to the ancient.
• Lauryn Williams is far more interested in chasing goals she can see rather than those she can imagine.
• Notebook: Jerome Young reportedly tested positive for the banned drug EPO at a meet last month.
_____ Live Online _____
• Tony Azevedo, the top scorer on the U.S. Men's Water Polo team, took questions July 28.
• Alexander Kitroeff discussed his book, "Wrestling with the Ancients: Modern Greek Identity and the Olympics," and the history of the Games on July 27.
_____ On Our Site _____
• Photos: Swimming trials.
• Photos: Track and field trials.
_____ Swimming's Wonder Boy _____
• Phelps's main training partners and buddies reflect on blown chances. (July 27)
• Coach Bob Bowman has been the guiding force for Phelps. (July 4)
• Gallery: Coach shows the way to Athens.
• Numerous endorsements already have made Phelps a millionaire. (June 1)
• Gallery: The road to the Games are paved with gold.
• Phelps expected to be the Games' most-decorated athlete. (April 18)
• Gallery: Phelps making a splash.
| | |
|
"She's Michael Jordan elevating a league," Sulka said. "She's Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. She's Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa reinventing baseball.
"Pro sports are about stars and their abilities and personalities. She's got it all, and she's giving it all to the WNBA."
Even Sulka, though, expected Taurasi to be tired of giving by now. The Mercury has waited for Taurasi to crash, for her to ask for a few days off from glad-handing fans or talking to the media.
Recently, she's been plagued by a nagging hip-pointer, but Coach Carrie Graf still can't keep her off the court. Teammates politely suggested Taurasi take a night off against the Mystics and enjoy some much-needed rest earlier this month. Instead, she started the game and hobbled around the court for four minutes before conceding to the pain.
"No matter what," Taurasi said, "I always want to play."
After the Mercury played seven road games in 14 days at the beginning of July, Lili Taurasi called her daughter and begged her to slow down. "Take a break," Lili said. "You're going to run out of energy."
"No," Taurasi responded. "That's impossible."
"She just doesn't stop," Sulka said. "She bounces from one thing to another without ever slowing down. We'll take that energy and use it for all that it's worth."
