WNBA legend Diana Taurasi had her most impressive game in years on Kobe Bryant's birthday while wearing his name and number

• WNBA icon Diana Taurasi dropped 34 points on 7-of-13 shooting from three in the Phoenix Mercury's 88-87 win over the reigning-champion Washington Mystics Sunday.
• The league's all-time leading scorer — known as the "White Mamba" — did so while wearing Kobe Bryant's last name and number eight on the back of her jersey.
• The Los Angeles Lakers legend, who died alongside his 13-year-old daughter and seven others in a tragic helicopter accident in January, would have turned 42 years old on the day of the game.

At 38 years old, basketball icon Diana Taurasi had her best game in years this weekend.

The name and number on her back may have had something to do with it.

In the Phoenix Mercury's matchup against the reigning-champion Washington Mystics, the WNBA's all-time leading scorer honored the late Kobe Bryant by wearing his name and number on her jersey. The Los Angeles Lakers legend, who died alongside his 13-year-old daughter and seven others in a tragic helicopter accident back in January, would have turned 42 years old on Sunday.

Taurasi, whom Bryant himself nicknamed "White Mamba" as a spinoff of his own "Black Mamba" moniker, dropped a season-high 34 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the floor and a 53.8% clip from beyond the arc to lead her Mercury squad to a much-needed 88-87 victory.

Her seven made threes was her highest output from range in more than two years and just one long-range basket from tying her career record.

"When you put his jersey on, you just want to make sure you honor it the right way," Taurasi said after the game. "And that's all I was thinking about the whole game is: 'What would Kobe do today?' And I know Kobe would have fought his ass off every minute."

"This is for him and his family," she added.

At first, Taurasi admitted she was "really hesitant to wear the jersey" during the game, but ultimately it was for a good cause. The 10-time All-WNBA first-teamer signed the game-worn jersey and is now auctioning it off with all proceeds going to The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

As of this article's writing, the highest bid for the one-of-a-kind collectible is $4,400. The auction closes at 7 p.m. EST on Tuesday, August 25.

• Read more:
• Basketball legend Diana Taurasi said Michael Jordan's win-at-all-costs mentality resonates with her
• Michael Jordan once trolled Diana Taurasi for a year after the WNBA icon missed a free throw at his summer camp
• Floyd Mayweather once threatened to buy Diana Taurasi's team when she trash-talked him during a game, and it was 'the one time she's ever been silenced'
• Kobe Bryant says there are WNBA stars who 'could most certainly keep up' in the NBA