After six years of joint broadcasting for the women’s college basketball Final Four, WNBA legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will not be returning to ESPN’s telecast this April.
“We are reimagining what we call our alternate telecast,” ESPN senior vice president Meg Aronowitz said Tuesday regarding the 2026 Final Four in Phoenix. “It has been Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi for the last six years, and we are grateful for them and our time with us. But we are going to reimagine and rethink how we bring the viewer that alternate telecast.”
“The Bird & Taurasi Show” has been a hit since its debut in the 2019 postseason, in large part to the rapport of the longtime friends, and grew in viewership during the post-pandemic, Caitlin Clark-era surge of interest in the women’s college game.
Before Bird’s 21-year career with the Seattle Storm (2002-22), in which she was a key member of all four of the franchise’s WNBA championship wins (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020), made 13 All-Star appearances and set franchise records for points (6,802) and assists (3,235), the Hall of Fame point guard dominated the college game with Taurasi by her side.
The two cemented a dynasty at UConn under famed head coach Geno Auriemma, leading the Huskies to a 39-0 undefeated record and the 2002 NCAA national title. It marked the graduating Bird’s second national championship win (2000) and was the first of three consecutive titles for then-sophomore Taurasi (2003, 2004).
Bird was drafted first overall in the 2002 WNBA draft by the Storm, and Taurasi was drafted first overall two years later by the Phoenix Mercury, where the future Hall of Famer stayed for the duration of her 20-year career (2004-24).
Bird and Taurasi also competed for Team USA, winning gold together at every Olympic Games over a 16-year span (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020). Taurasi also won a sixth gold at the 2024 Olympics, setting an Olympic record.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yakimaherald.com ’
