Diana Taurasi makes history by becoming first WNBA player to reach 9,000 points

American basketball star Diana Taurasi is no stranger to making history and she did it again on Sunday night (27 June), becoming the first WNBA player to reach 9,000 career points.

The Phoenix Mercury guard achieved the milestone in the second quarter of her team's 88-79 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

Taurasi ended the game with 25 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Speaking to ESPN after the game Taurasi said: "It's just another record that hopefully will be broken by someone who loves basketball, who dedicates her whole life."

Her feat was also celebrated on social media by four-time NBA winner and two-time Olympic champion LeBron James, who wrote on Twitter: 'GOAT status'.

The three-time WNBA champion is also the league's all-time leading scorer.

What makes the achievement even more special is that it was the 39-year-old's first game in six weeks since she suffered a fractured sternum in May.

Taurasi is also in her 17th season in the league, and has no plans of slowing down.

"I guess I'll be happy if I get to 10,000.

"That's when I'll really be happy and celebrate; I might even throw myself a party. But 9,000, I just feel like there's a lot of work to be done."

Last week the four-time Olympic gold medallist was named in Team USA's squad to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Tokyo 2020 will be Taurai's fifth Olympic Games, and if Team USA can come away with the title, she and Sue Bird will become the first basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals.

Read more about the American basketball legend, her plant-based diet, her nickname from Kobe Bryant and more - here.