{"id":558074,"date":"2026-03-24T19:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/558074\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T19:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T19:00:11","slug":"diana-taurasi-gets-honest-on-mercurys-2026-wnba-finals-hopes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/558074\/","title":{"rendered":"Diana Taurasi Gets Honest on Mercury’s 2026 WNBA Finals Hopes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Diana\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Diana Taurasi believes the Mercury are capable of making another Finals run in 2026<\/p>\n

After the 2024 campaign, the Phoenix Mercury<\/a> were dealt a pretty big blow, as franchise legend Diana Taurasi<\/a> 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<\/a> to the 2025 WNBA Finals, where they came up just short against the Las Vegas Aces<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With a new collective bargaining agreement<\/a> recently getting passed, the WNBA offseason is about to heat<\/a> 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\u2019s outlook for the upcoming season, while also discussing her partnership with GREENIES and their new \u201cBe Your Dog\u2019s Mouthguard\u201d pledge.<\/p>\n

Diana Taurasi Has High Hopes for Mercury\u2019s 2026 Campaign<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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 \u201ccrushed\u201d to see them get swept by the Aces.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so happy for that team,\u201d Taurasi told Heavy on Mercury. \u201cNo 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you can keep Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas, and Kahleah Copper together, I think they can complement each other so well on the court,\u201d Taurasi opined. \u201cWhen 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\u2019t 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

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. \u201cThere\u2019s so many different needs that a lot of teams have, then you add the expansion draft and two more teams. It\u2019s gonna be the wildest offseason and free agency I think we\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diana Taurasi Opens Up on New GREENIES Partnership\"Mercury<\/p>\n

GettyDiana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury<\/p>\n

Even though Taurasi\u2019s 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 \u201cBe Your Dog\u2019s Mouthguard\u201d pledge that Taurasi is helping champion.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe Your Dog\u2019s Mouthguard is the best thing ever,\u201d Taurasi said. \u201cI\u2019m on board with that and GREENIES dental, just to make sure your dogs have the best dental hygiene out there. It\u2019s been a great partnership; they\u2019ve been awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s or women\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe women \u2026 they\u2019ve been on an incredible run, just being undefeated all year, winning the Big East, it\u2019s been just a treat to watch them play and dominate,\u201d Taurasi said. \u201cThe men had a big win against UCLA on Sunday night \u2026 Hopefully they\u2019re both in the Final Four, and we can bring back two championships to the capital of basketball, and that\u2019s Storrs, Connecticut.\u201d<\/p>\n

A known dog lover herself, Taurasi has frequently stocked her shelves with GREENIES products, so if she wasn\u2019t rooting for her alma mater in March Madness beforehand, she certainly is now that she\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tOwen Crisafulli<\/a> Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Mercury\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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