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Sue Bird paid tribute to her college coaches during her Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction Saturday, crediting the UConn women’s basketball staff — especially head coach Geno Auriemma and associate head coach Chris Dailey — for shaping her success on and off the court.
“The UConn coaching staff that’s there now is actually the same one from when I was there back then,” Bird said, as reported by Emily Adams of the Hartford Courant. “You assisted me in ways that went far beyond X’s and O’s. You developed my character. Coach Auriemma, you taught me that basketball is not a game of how to, it’s a game of when to, and that wisdom became my North Star both on and off court.”
Bird selected Dailey, known for her exacting standards, as her presenter for the ceremony in Knoxville, Tennessee. While Dailey, Auriemma and assistant Morgan Valley — Bird’s former teammate — missed the start due to a delayed flight, Bird lightheartedly acknowledged the moment.
“That attention to detail became part of who I am, which is exactly why I chose you to present me tonight, and that makes it even more hilarious that they were late,” she said.
Sue Bird's impressive on-court legacy
Bird played at UConn from 1998 to 2002, helping lead the Huskies to two national championships. She was the unanimous national player of the year in 2002 and lost only four games during her college career. She still holds school records for 3-point and free-throw percentage.
Drafted first overall by the Seattle Storm in 2002, Bird spent 20 seasons with the franchise, winning four WNBA titles. She retired as the league’s all-time assists leader and played a central role in five Olympic gold medal runs for Team USA.
She becomes the seventh UConn player inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, joining Maya Moore, Swin Cash, Diana Taurasi, Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti and Kara Wolters. Auriemma and Dailey were inducted as coaches in 2006 and 2018, respectively.
“The teammate that was on all the teams, Diana Taurasi, our friendship goes way beyond basketball. You’re family,” Bird said. “Some say we’re the best backcourt of all time, and I think you’re the greatest of all time. So I guess that makes me the Diana Taurasi of point guards.”
