Diana Taurasi on new look Mercury: ‘When you have talent, you can always make a run’

Yahoo Sports WNBA contributor Isis Young spoke with the Phoenix Mercury superstar guard about adjusting to first-year head coach Nate Tibbetts, the team’s improved depth this season and the addition of Kahleah Copper.

Diana joins Yahoo Sports on behalf of Dupixent, which is for moderate-to-severe eczema. For more on information, you can visit showupad.com.

View more

Video Transcript

Ice Young here for Yahoo Sports, joined by Phoenix Mercury Guard, Diana Taurasi, who is with us to chat about her eczema journey and experience for two pi in and we’ll get to that shortly.

DT um you know, what are your overthought overall thoughts on how the season is going?

And the leadership underhead coach Nate Tibbetts, I mean, it’s just been, uh it’s been great.

It’s uh his leadership has experienced the whole coaching staff.

Uh you know, Nick, you’re and uh our new GM, they’ve just put together a, a collection of, of great people, talented people, uh people that work together really well, you know, those 1st 10 games, uh uh we were learning on the go and obviously, uh now with our, our whole team together, we can make strides to really make a push, you know, going into the Olympic break.

But, you know, there’s one thing about the team I really enjoy and, and that, that we have this respect for each other.

We want to see each other do well.

Um And, and it’s been, uh it’s been sobering and it’s been really nice.

Yeah, you mentioned getting BG back, Beck Allen back the depth you guys have bringing in, you know, Tosh, we’ll talk about C copper in a second, but the depth on this team, I mean, you have tons of experience in the w how are you feeling about the depth on this team and what you guys can do?

It’s huge.

Um You know, I’ve been in the city league for a long time.

Obviously, you have to have a lot of things go your way, you know, health and luck and all these things.

But, you know, when you’re not talent, you can always make a run.

And, uh, right now when you look at a roster and you look at that experience and, uh, I, I think how flexible we can be, we can play small, we can play big, we can play slow.

Uh We can play fast.

So, um I think when you have that flexibility, um, you know, you never know what team you’re gonna have to play against.

And, uh, we’re really trying to get to that point where, um, from quarter to quarter, we can be whatever team we need to be there to make sure we have a good night.

Hm.

Hm.

You talk about having good nights, Kalia Copper has had a lot of those recently for your team.

Uh She’s proving to be the biggest off-season move, which I think we already knew that that was because of her talent.

And then most recently, obviously, after that links when she shared with us, you know, that Coach Tibbets had drawn up the play for you and you had said, no, we need to give it to Kyle.

What was going through your mind?

Now, talk about that, trust that you have right there for Kyle in that moment.

I mean, she’s just, uh, you know, for a long time, obviously we competed against each other and I always enjoyed her competitive spirit.

Um, and now, um I got to know her a little bit better in USA basketball.

Um got to share the court with her and when there was talk that maybe there was a possibility um that, you know, she’d be willing, uh you know, to move on and uh you know, join us.

I was like, yes, yes, yes and yeah.

Um There’s something about Kali that in a lot of ways, uh makes her so unique.

She’s only worried about the game.

He wants to be the best basketball player in the world and that she can be.

And I love that about her.

She’s not worried about the noise, she’s not worried about the things around her.

She’s worried about what do I have to do to be the best teammate, the best player I can be.

And that to me is like the ultimate skill apart from her just being unbelievable and look for it and what she can do, um you know, at her thighs, um her skill or her shooting ability defensively.

Last night she takes the Rique around for 45 minutes.

I mean, she is just, um, she is, uh, just a, just a joy to be around.

Yeah, absolutely.

Such a dog.

Um, I wanna ask you about the rookie class this year and the w, you know, has anyone stood out to you?

Are you particularly just happy to watch or compete against?

And I know there’s so many names and they have been performing but you know, what are your thoughts on the rookie class who stood out?

Yeah, I mean, they, they all bring something different to the table, which has been amazing.

I mean, if you think about, um, each one of them individually, they’re just all very different, their skill set and, you know, uh, like anything, uh, the more games they play, the more comfortable they’re gonna get with their teams and their opponents and their surroundings and, uh, you see them getting better every week and, you know, that’s what this league is about.

Our competition is about pushing the limits and making sure the talent, um, you know, gets better every single year and that this rookie class is definitely, you know, push limits in that, in that case too.

Yeah.

Uh DT you know, last one, you’re here on behalf of with us on behalf of Dupixent, which helps treat eczema and something you have had personal experience with.

You battle to this day.

What made you want to speak on this now.

You know, it’s something eczema, it’s something millions of Americans, you know, deal with every single day and, uh, you know, I battled eczema.

My, you know, pretty much my whole life.

Um, it came a pair when I, you know, got to college.

It was something that, you know, just really was uncomfortable when you get to the very, uh, bottom of it.

I had red itchy skin, it would be uncomfortable.

I felt uncomfortable.

I was obviously on the bath before my arms are always exposed.

And, you know, I tried everything, lotions and brains and the steroids that if you or you know, anyone, you know, has anyone, you know, it’s an everyday battle and, you know, partnering with fan Ofen Regeneron and working with Dupixent has given me a different outlook on how to treat eczema.

And um you know, there are treatments out there that make your work.

Uh um You know, this is my personal story and I feel like when you hear things that can personally relate to you, then maybe there’s an option for you or that, you know, it’s been an incredible partnership so far.

Close