Women's Fastbreak On SI

Diana Taurasi Was All Smiles About Mercury Technical Foul Record

WNBA legend Diana Taurasi isn't too torn up about her team breaking the WNBA record for most technical fouls in a season.

Grant Young

Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi yells from the bench during action against the Dallas Wings in the second half at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 10, 2024.
Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi yells from the bench during action against the Dallas Wings in the second half at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 10, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Phoenix Mercury accrued three technical fouls during their game against the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, giving them a total of 33 technical fouls on the 2024 WNBA season.

This sets a WNBA record for the most technical fouls by one team in a season — and the Mercury still have seven games left in their regular season slate.

Mercury guards Diana Taurasi and Natasha Cloud (each of whom picked up their 7th technical foul of the 2024 season Sunday) will most likely need to sit out Phoenix's next game because WNBA rules dictate that a player amassing seven technical fouls within a season is subject to a one-game suspension.

Taurasi and her teammate Sophie Cunningham spoke with the media after Sunday's loss. At one point, Cunningham said, "I know we have a lot of fiery people. I know we've set the record for most techs..."

As soon as Cunningham said this, Taurasi showed a wide smile and nodded her head enthusiastically.

Taurasi doesn't appear too torn up about her team's technical foul tally.

She then added, "Well [my technical foul] is definitely gonna get rescinded, so I'm good. I'll be playing in the next game."

CBS Sports noted that the WNBA legend is no stranger to getting suspended for amassing too many technical fouls. She was suspended one game in 2018 and in 2016 for reaching the seven technical foul mark, and had to sit out two games in 2013 because she amassed nine technicals. 

While Taurasi's Mercury teammates would probably prefer she tone herself down on the court to avoid getting suspended, doing so is clearly not in her nature.

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Grant Young

GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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