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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Diana Taurasi to skip 2015 WNBA season

Associated Press

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi will sit out the 2015 WNBA season after receiving a lucrative offer from her Russian club team to rest this summer.

Taurasi led the Mercury to their third WNBA title in 2014, earning finals MVP honors before returning to Russia, where she’s played the past several winters.

Taurasi sent a letter to Mercury fans saying it was a tough decision, but that the toll of playing year-round and the financial opportunity from UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia led her take the 2015 WNBA season off.

She plans to return to the WNBA in 2016.

“The year-round nature of women’s basketball takes its toll and the financial opportunity with my team in Russia would have been irresponsible to turn down,” Taurasi said in a letter sent to Mercury fans.

Taurasi is the league’s second all-time leading scorer and was MVP in 2009.