Basketball | Diana Taurasi closing in on another WNBA milestone as she approaches 10,000 points

Diana Taurasi is on the cusp of another milestone in her illustrious WNBA career as she closes in on becoming the first player in league history to score 10,000 points in the regular season.

Diana Taurasi is an icon in the world of hoops, and the perennial All-Star known as the “White Mamba” is on the cusp of another milestone in her illustrious WNBA career.

She is closing in on becoming the first player in league history to score 10,000 points in the regular season. But like most of the greats in any sport, Taurasi says she has always cared more about winning than milestones and records.

“I really don't think about the number, I really don't,” Taurasi said after scoring 29 points in a one-point loss to Indiana on Tuesday night. “I've always said I've just played basketball because I love to play. Literally the only reason why I keep showing up to the gym right now is because I still love to play and you know, this group still shows up every day.”

The group is showing up but not winning. Although Taurasi has been focused on trying to salvage a losing year for the only WNBA team she’s played for, it's impossible to ignore the looming milestone.

Taurasi is just 18 points away from 10,000, which would put her 2,512 ahead of second-place Tina Thompson. Taurasi, who has averaged 19.1 points during her career, will get her first chance at the milestone Thursday night against Atlanta.

DeWanna Bonner is the next closest active player on the list. The nearly 36-year-old Connecticut Sun forward is nearly 3,300 points behind Taurasi.

“What she's been able to do for such a long period of time has been truly incredible,” said Bonner, who played with Taurasi for the first 10 years of her career in Phoenix. “I've seen firsthand how hard she works and what she's done and its amazing.”