After the 2024 campaign, the Phoenix Mercury were dealt a pretty big blow, as franchise legend Diana Taurasi decided to call it a career and retire after spending 20 seasons with the team. In 2025, the Mercury responded by promptly going on an unexpected run to the 2025 WNBA Finals, where they came up just short against the Las Vegas Aces.
With a new collective bargaining agreement recently getting passed, the WNBA offseason is about to heat up in the blink of an eye, and after a surprise run to the Finals, Phoenix has its work cut out for it. In an exclusive interview with Heavy on Mercury, Taurasi opened up on her former team’s outlook for the upcoming season, while also discussing her partnership with GREENIES and their new “Be Your Dog’s Mouthguard” pledge.
Diana Taurasi Has High Hopes for Mercury’s 2026 Campaign
Even at the age of 42, Taurasi was still wildly productive during her final season with the Mercury (14.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 40 FG%), so her departure understandably left a big hole on the team’s roster. The arrivals of Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally last offseason helped fill that void, and sure enough, Phoenix went on a deep playoff run. Unsurprisingly, Taurasi was rooting for the Mercury throughout the playoffs, revealing she was “crushed” to see them get swept by the Aces.
“I was so happy for that team,” Taurasi told Heavy on Mercury. “No one expected that team to make the Finals, to make that run in the playoffs. They had some incredible wins over the New York (Liberty) and Minnesota (Lynx), and I think that just showed the character of that team and how closely they bought into what Coach (Nate) Tibbetts was trying to do. I was crushed when they lost in the Finals.”
Thomas and Sabally teamed up with Kahleah Copper to form one of the top trios across the league, and the success was hard to ignore. The problem for Phoenix’s front office is that all three of them are set to hit the open market once free agency opens. It may be difficult to do, but Taurasi thinks the team must find a way to keep all three of Thomas, Sabally, and Copper in town this offseason.
“If you can keep Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper together, I think they can complement each other so well on the court,” Taurasi opined. “When you have three great players, the best thing when they play together is when they each occupy different places on the court, and they don’t overlap. All three of them have such elite, different skills, and they play so hard; they play together. I think that would be a good way forward for Phoenix in the future.”
With less than two months until the start of the new season, a lot has to happen across the WNBA now that a new CBA is in place. That could present challenges for every team, including Phoenix. If you ask Taurasi, she thinks fans should buckle up for what could be a hectic couple of weeks. “There’s so many different needs that a lot of teams have, then you add the expansion draft and two more teams. It’s gonna be the wildest offseason and free agency I think we’ve ever seen.”
Diana Taurasi Opens Up on New GREENIES Partnership
GettyDiana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury
Even though Taurasi’s playing days are over, she has remained as busy as ever. Her latest endeavor has seen her team up with GREENIES, a company that provides a variety of treats for dogs and cats in an effort to improve their dental hygiene. With March Madness in full swing, GREENIES recently created a new “Be Your Dog’s Mouthguard” pledge that Taurasi is helping champion.
“Be Your Dog’s Mouthguard is the best thing ever,” Taurasi said. “I’m on board with that and GREENIES dental, just to make sure your dogs have the best dental hygiene out there. It’s been a great partnership; they’ve been awesome.”
Fans who take the pledge could earn a unique reward for their pets, depending on how March Madness unfolds. If either the UConn Huskies men’s or women’s basketball teams win their respective tournaments, folks who take the pledge will earn free GREENIES Dog Dental Treats. A UConn alum herself, Taurasi has liked what she has seen from both Huskies teams so far this month.
“The women … they’ve been on an incredible run, just being undefeated all year, winning the Big East, it’s been just a treat to watch them play and dominate,” Taurasi said. “The men had a big win against UCLA on Sunday night … Hopefully they’re both in the Final Four, and we can bring back two championships to the capital of basketball, and that’s Storrs, Connecticut.”
A known dog lover herself, Taurasi has frequently stocked her shelves with GREENIES products, so if she wasn’t rooting for her alma mater in March Madness beforehand, she certainly is now that she’s got a shot to earn some free treats for her dogs. Fans who want a shot at winning some GREENIES treats can take the pledge by going to GreeniesBeYourDogsMouthguard.com.
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