BRHornet45
07-06-2010, 01:53 AM
She dishes snappy answers as well as she snaps off passes. Diana Taurasi has wrapped up three straight titles at UConn, two WNBA championships, and two Olympic gold medals. She talks about the rising women's game, and taking a few trash-talking guys to school. A selection of the interview:
Q: Do you think we'll get to the point where you'll see a high school girl who says she wants to go straight into the WNBA?
Taurasi: You might see that. I think the talent is better as you go on. I know this year there's been some high school seniors who are really talented. If they saw it and think they could accomplish it, I think they would go early. But right now I don't think it would be in anyone's interest to skip college.
Q: Would you have been ready for the WNBA coming out of high school?
Taurasi: I think the four years in college really prepare you for a lot. I think the men's game is a little different than the women's game … just things you learn. I wouldn't pass up four years of college for anything. That's where I've made my mark. I've enjoyed myself.
Q: I've got some pictures from the University of Connecticut web site (of fans rioting).
Taurasi: (Looking at pictures) I think that's my boyfriend. I think I know him.
Q:I asked (UConn men's guard) Ben Gordon if you could have played on the men's team, and he said yes.
Taurasi: Ben was being a little generous. When you start talking about the men's game, it's just a different level, not necessarily skillwise, but just physically, the way they jump, run. It's a different level.
Q: Could you have been on the team?
Taurasi: I could have been a walk-on. I could have got towels and water. But I don't know if I could have played and contributed. Even though I did run with them this summer and held my own. It's just a different level of play.
Q: When was the last time you made a guy cry?
Taurasi: On the dance floor? (laughter). On the basketball court, when we were little kids, little boys thought they could beat me and it wouldn't happen. And they would go home crying.
Q: But you have to enjoy this. A guy doesn't know you play, and he says, "I'll check the girl."
Taurasi: You have those guys no matter how bad they are, think they're really good. Those are the ones that are very annoying, that consistenly talk trash and are horrible. That's guys for you.
Q: Do you laugh at them? Do you talk trash?
Taurasi: Yeah I do. And I'm not one to talk trash (laughter), but if it's pickup …
Q: Do you think we'll get to the point where you'll see a high school girl who says she wants to go straight into the WNBA?
Taurasi: You might see that. I think the talent is better as you go on. I know this year there's been some high school seniors who are really talented. If they saw it and think they could accomplish it, I think they would go early. But right now I don't think it would be in anyone's interest to skip college.
Q: Would you have been ready for the WNBA coming out of high school?
Taurasi: I think the four years in college really prepare you for a lot. I think the men's game is a little different than the women's game … just things you learn. I wouldn't pass up four years of college for anything. That's where I've made my mark. I've enjoyed myself.
Q: I've got some pictures from the University of Connecticut web site (of fans rioting).
Taurasi: (Looking at pictures) I think that's my boyfriend. I think I know him.
Q:I asked (UConn men's guard) Ben Gordon if you could have played on the men's team, and he said yes.
Taurasi: Ben was being a little generous. When you start talking about the men's game, it's just a different level, not necessarily skillwise, but just physically, the way they jump, run. It's a different level.
Q: Could you have been on the team?
Taurasi: I could have been a walk-on. I could have got towels and water. But I don't know if I could have played and contributed. Even though I did run with them this summer and held my own. It's just a different level of play.
Q: When was the last time you made a guy cry?
Taurasi: On the dance floor? (laughter). On the basketball court, when we were little kids, little boys thought they could beat me and it wouldn't happen. And they would go home crying.
Q: But you have to enjoy this. A guy doesn't know you play, and he says, "I'll check the girl."
Taurasi: You have those guys no matter how bad they are, think they're really good. Those are the ones that are very annoying, that consistenly talk trash and are horrible. That's guys for you.
Q: Do you laugh at them? Do you talk trash?
Taurasi: Yeah I do. And I'm not one to talk trash (laughter), but if it's pickup …