Diana Taurasi wanted to take her time before deciding whether to retire. Once the Phoenix Mercury star made up her mind, the decision came with the same kind of decisiveness she displayed through one of the greatest careers in women’s basketball history.

Taurasi played her final game for the Mercury on Sept. 25 — Phoenix lost to the Minnesota Lynx 101-88 in the first round of the playoffs. She didn't comment on whether she would return at the time and left many fans wondering “if this is it," the exact verbiage the Mercury used to advertise the team's final regular-season home games.