WNBA historical past was made on a Tuesday evening in Atlanta, as Dream middle Tina Charles handed Tina Thompson for second on the all-time WNBA scoring listing. Fittingly, she did so in a sport towards Diana Taurasi — the all-time main scorer in league historical past — who she proclaimed was the best of all time after the sport.
Charles, an eight-time All-Star and one-time MVP, entered Wednesday’s matchup with the Mercury with 7,479 profession factors, needing 8 factors to move Thompson.
She in the end acquired it finished with a three-point shot that got here within the fourth quarter of the Dream’s 72-63 win over the Mercury, ending the sport with 12 factors, 17 rebounds, and three assists.
Charles now solely trails Taurasi on the all-time scoring listing, however that report Taurasi has tallied 10,497 profession factors, so it will take years for Charles, who’s 35-years-old, to surpass her. It actually doesn’t assist that at 42 years previous, Taurasi remains to be averaging 16.2 factors per sport and reveals few indicators of slowing down.
The historic second was made much more particular by the truth that Charles and Taurasi are each University of Connecticut alumni and longtime buddies.
“Just to hear my name in the same sentence as Diana is just unimaginable,” Charles stated on the printed. “What she’s meant to me personally, this league, her impact — she’s definitely the GOAT.”
Former Huskies, very long time buddies and now closing in on being etched subsequent to at least one one other within the historical past books
The all-time main scorer, Diana Taurasi embraces Tina Charles forward of their matchup tonight
Charles simply 10 factors away from being #2 all-time in factors made pic.twitter.com/6uxS0CX2go
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 21, 2024
The win marked three consecutive victories towards playoff groups — they’ve now defeated the Storm, Sun, and Mercury for the reason that Olympic break and improved to 10-17 on the 12 months. Atlanta is now only one sport behind the Sky for the eighth and remaining playoff spot, and given the truth that the Sky traded their second-leading scorer, Marina Mabrey, over the break, passing Chicago is actually inside attain.
“We’re just collectively coming together,” Charles stated. “Having Rhyne [Howard] and Jordin [Canada] back in the lineup has just been really amazing. You have a future MVP, and you have a point guard that really takes her job seriously of getting us all together, the head of the snake.”