On Pro Basketball
By HARVEY ARATON
When Diana Taurasi announced recently that she would not play in the W.N.B.A. in 2015, she did not have to explain herself to Sue Bird. After all these years, rest for rubles, Bird knew what Taurasi had earned.
Bird had spent enough time braving Russian winters with Taurasi, her old college running mate at Connecticut, before rushing back to suit up in Seattle in the spring-summer N.B.A. women’s annex.
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What Richie wanted to say was that there would be no shortage of stars, but the league should understand that Taurasi may not be a singular case. The oligarchs want what they want and the W.N.B.A. may have to do more than its own overseas deterrents — bonuses it offers players for limiting commitments to three months.
“I think this could be unique to a small group of players,” Bird said. “Unfortunately for the W.N.B.A., that’s going to be their best players.”
Play less, earn more? Sounds like an offer Taurasi couldn’t refuse.
