Even before Sunday’s gold medal game against the host nation France, Diana Taurasi and USA Basketball had written an incredible story together. Taurasi, the WNBA’s all-time scoring leader, was called up to her sixth Olympic Games this year and accordingly won her sixth gold medal — making her the most decorated basketball player in Olympic history. Her longevity is truly unmatched in the women’s game, bridging generations and cementing Taurasi’s status as one of the sport’s greatest-ever players.

So how did Taurasi do it? How has the Phoenix Mercury star been able to continue competing at 42 years old — especially with a new generation, headlined by Caitlin Clark, coming in and changing the game? Before Team USA won gold again with a nail-biting 67-66 win on Sunday afternoon, Taurasi delivered a message that will inspire the next two decades of WNBA and Olympic stars.

Taurasi’s emphatic message

In an interview published this week, Taurasi — who broke a tie with her best friend Sue Bird by winning a sixth Olympic gold medal — explained that staying in the moment and relishing the little things propelled her to basketball history with the United States, which has won eight consecutive gold medals in Olympic women’s basketball.

“We’ve always kept the main thing, the main thing, but we’ve always enjoyed the moment,” Taurasi said. “Whether it’s in the locker room, whether it’s on the charter, opening ceremonies, we’ve always kept perspective on why we’re there; number one to win the gold medals, at the same time to represent our country.”

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That mentality has guided the United States’ women’s basketball team to a jaw-dropping 61 consecutive victories at the Olympics — meaning Taurasi ended her international career without an Olympic loss. Passing the torch to Clark, Angel Reese, and the next generation of stars comes with the weight of history — and a warning from Taurasi, who has been fortunate enough to enjoy a long, historic, and largely-healthy career.

“Enjoy the moment because you never know if you will get another opportunity to do it,” she said.