Diana Taurasi talks life after retirement, living with eczema

Diana Taurasi announced her retirement earlier this year and is enjoying life after a successful basketball career. On3 recently spoke to Taurasi, and she talked about what she’s been doing with her time away from basketball.

“It’s been good. It’s been nice to have the time that I always use getting ready for the season,” Diana Taurasi told On3. “And then, obviously, once the season started, I would just always be so focused on our team, and how do we get better individually and collectively. Well, now, I’m thinking of really pouring myself into my family, and friends, and people that I haven’t had much time to really give myself to. So it’s been nice just to have less on my plate and really just enjoy life, and it’s been wonderful.”

Taurasi spent her entire career with the Phoenix Mercury (2004-2004) and accomplished everything a player could. Along with being an 11-time WNBA All-Star, the UConn alum was named to the All-WNBA First Team 10 times, named MVP in 2009 and won three WNBA titles.

Diana Taurasi looks back at the 2024 season

In Taurasi’s final season, she averaged 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per contest. But did she enter the 2024 season knowing it would be her last?

“I went into that season really focused, the best shape I’ve been in a long time,” Taurasi said. “We had a brand new coach, a new GM, a new roster build out, and I just really wanted to take that one year, that one season, and put everything into it. Did I know that was going to be my last season?

“Once you get to 42, every season can be your last season. So, maybe that was in the back of my mind, but I never wanted the last year to be about this is the finale. Because to me, it would’ve shortchanged our team, our players, to our goal, which was to try to win a championship, which we fell short of. But once the offseason came and January rolled around, which is usually January 1st, is really when I started ramping up for the May opener, when that came and went, I knew I was done.”

As Taurasi enjoys retirement life, she is helping those who have eczema. The 42-year-old has partnered with Sanofi and Regeneron to shed light on the experiences of people living with moderate-to-severe eczema. Taurasi began using Dupixent, and it has helped her keep her eczema under control.

How Dupixent helped Diana Taurasi battle eczema

“I was unfamiliar with the companies and with the medicine,” She said. “And as I got more familiar with them, my views aligned with theirs and how Dupixent really can transform someone’s condition. And everyone’s different, that’s why you should go to your dermatologist first and make sure you chat with them and have a good conversation. But it’s revitalized my everyday life.”

Taurasi also talked about how having eczema impacted her basketball career. “There was always these little battles I would have internally when I did have flare-ups, and I would have to go to the gym, and I would’ve to go to the game, and play in a jersey,” she explained.

“To me, it was something I was always very conscious about. Probably to the outside world, they would’ve never realized it. But, I know what I was battling with. It’s something that sidetracked me from the game. It was something that would take my focus and attention from what was the most important thing, and that was to play basketball. So, that’s why Dupixent has just been really something that’s changed my daily life.”