'Thank you, Sue': Sue Bird retires after more than two decades of service. See details

A proud Sue Bird gazed out at her hometown crowd from center court at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle as she bit her lower lip. Trying to hold back the sniffles, Sue heard the crowd chant, "Thank you, Sue!" She smiled and blew a kiss to the fans and the franchise she had called home for 21 years. Tears began to roll down her cheeks as she tried to hold them back.

Bird retired after more than two decades of service to UConn, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and Team USA. After the Seattle Storm lost 97-92 to the Las Vegas Aces Tuesday night, Bird said she didn't want to leave the court, but it seemed like everything else was going in that direction. She further said that, in some ways, it's a good thing. She knows that she is proud of everything she has accomplished here. But she also wanted to have one last moment to say thank you, to soak it all in. She mentioned that it's sad, of course, but there's also some happiness to be able to share such a fantastic moment with her fans; to hear them shout victoriously like that; she says, "I know the tears don't appear to be happy tears, but there's a lot of happiness to be had."

As Las Vegas advanced to the finals of their WNBA playoff semi-final series, Bird played her final WNBA playoff game in front of a packed home crowd in her adoptive hometown of Seattle.




"Her career as a basketball player will go down in history as one of the best women or men to have ever played. She may be done playing basketball, but her impact will endure for years to come. There will never be another Sue Bird—she's helped raise us in this league and always had our backs. We're fortunate to have played with someone as unique as Sue," said Jewell Loyd, Bird's Seattle teammate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What are the most prominent achievements of Sue Bird?
A1: Among her accolades are two college National Player of the Year awards (2002), four WNBA championships, 13 all-star games in the WNBA, five Euro League titles and five Olympic gold medals. Only two Olympians have won five straight gold medals in the same sport. As well as owning the record for most games played and minutes played in the WNBA, the Syosset, NY, native also holds the record for most All-Star selections and assists. Despite her 20 years at UConn, she still holds the school's records for free throw percentage (89.2) and 3-point field goal percentage (45.9).

Q2: How long has Sue Bird been a member of the WNBA?
A2: Sue Bird is retiring at the age of 41. Initially chosen as the No. 1 overall pick by Seattle in the 2002 WNBA draft, Bird has been with the Storm for 21 of the franchise's 23 seasons of presence.