Diana Taurasi is retiring after 20 seasons, ending one of the greatest careers in women’s basketball history.

The WNBA’s career scoring leader and a three-time league champion, Taurasi announced her retirement on Tuesday in an interview with Time magazine. The Phoenix Mercury — the only WNBA team she played for — also confirmed her decision.

“Mentally and physically, I’m just full,” Taurasi told Time. “That’s probably the best way I can describe it. I’m full and I’m happy.”

With her taut hair bun and supreme confidence, Taurasi inspired a generation of players while racking up records and championships.

Taurasi led UConn to three straight national titles from 2001-04 and kept on winning after the Mercury selected her with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2004 WNBA draft.

The 42-year-old won her sixth Olympic gold medal at the Paris Games and finishes her WNBA career with 10,646 points, nearly 3,000 more than second-place Tina Charles.

In addition to her three WNBA championships with the Mercury, Taurasi won six Euroleague championships while playing year-round most of her career. She was the 2009 WNBA MVP and is one of four players to earn WNBA Finals MVP honors more than once (2009, 2014).

Taurasi made the all-WNBA first team 10 times and was on the first or second team a record 14 times. She’s also an 11-time WNBA All-Star, four-time USA Basketball female athlete of the year and was the 2004 WNBA rookie of the year.

The Glendale, Calif., native holds numerous WNBA records, including playoff scoring, field goals, 3-pointers and 30-point games. She also holds 16 Mercury records.

For her career, Taurasi averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds. She averaged 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists while leading the Mercury to the playoffs during her 20th season.

Olympics

Thiesse, Dropkin sweep doubles curling trials

The 2026 Winter Olympics are still nearly a year away but two Duluthians are just one step away from guaranteeing themselves a place on Team USA in Milan, Italy.

Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin rolled to a 6-3 victory over Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera at Rock Creek Curling in suburban Denver in the second game of a best-of-three championship series Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Trials for mixed doubles curling. Their sweep of the series puts them on course for next year’s Winter Olympics.

Thiesse and Dropkin are not yet in the field, as they must qualify Team USA for the 10-nation competition that will begin in Italy on Feb. 4, 2026. They can do that as soon as this spring, as the win qualifies the pair to represent the United States at the 2025 mixed doubles world championships from April 26-May 3 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

— Duluth News Tribune

NFL

Ravens GM: Tucker allegations ‘concerning’

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta considers the mounting allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against kicker Justin Tucker “serious” and “concerning.”

He still wants to see what the NFL’s investigation reveals before making any decision about one of the Ravens’ steadiest players.

“The allegations are serious, concerning. The amount of allegations are serious, concerning,” DeCosta said at the NFL’s annual scouting combine in Indianapolis. “I think we’re fortunate the league is doing an investigation. We’ll wait as patiently as we can for as much information as we can, and we’ll make a decision based on that.”

The Baltimore Banner reported that 16 massage therapists from eight spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area have accused Tucker of the inappropriate behavior.

Tucker has posted a statement on social media calling the allegations “unequivocally false.”

Bengals’ Chase to be top-paid non-QB

The Cincinnati Bengals plan to make All-Pro wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

“He is going to end up being the No. 1 paid non-quarterback in the league,” director of player personnel Duke Tobin said at the NFL scouting combine.

Chase led the league in receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) and touchdown catches (17) this season, becoming just the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving triple crown.

Jets say Rodgers didn’t get ultimatum

The New York Jets are aiming to win in 2025 without Aaron Rodgers.

New general manager Darren Mougey said Tuesday the team never gave Rodgers any ultimatum or rules for him to return. He and coach Aaron Glenn simply decided it was in the team’s best interest to move on with a different starting quarterback.

“A lot of respect for Aaron Rodgers as a player and a person, first-ballot Hall of Famer, wish him nothing but the best,” Mougey said at the NFL scouting combine. “But that was a decision we made and look forward to kind of moving past that and into this next process here with free agency and the draft.”

MLS

Miami’s Messi fined for hand on coach’s neck

Major League Soccer fined Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi an undisclosed amount for placing his hand on a New York City FC assistant coach’s neck.

The incident happened during Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

Messi was exiting the pitch following the full-time whistle after receiving a yellow card for a verbal exchange with referee Alexis Da Silva. The reigning league MVP had some words with New York assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy and covered his mouth as two Miami assistants intervened. Messi started to walk away, then turned back toward Ballouchy. He put his right hand on the back of Ballouchy’s neck and squeezed hard enough that it appeared to stun him.

BRIEFLY

AUTO RACING >> The group that owns Cadillac Formula 1 officially launched TWG Motorsports for its rapidly growing motorsports portfolio with Dan Towriss as CEO.

— From news services