The Seattle Storm have been one of the elite teams in the WNBA for a long time. The franchise has won four championships in 2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020. There's obviously been roster turnover from the team's first championship to their last one. But the one constant on all four of those title teams was Sue Bird. One of the greatest players to ever play the game, Bird played her entire 19 year WNBA career with the Storm. While the Storm are now in a rebuilding year, their fans will still have something to cheer about. Sue Bird is set to have her jersey retirement on June 11 when the Storm take on the Washington Mystics.
Sue Bird's No. 10 will be raised to the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena on June 11, but it was a long journey from first overall draft pick to one of the greatest athletes to ever represent Seattle.
This is the beginning of her story.
📰 https://t.co/JWVqY90oXq#10forever pic.twitter.com/gqICZOVEMs
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) May 23, 2023
Sue Bird was originally drafted by the Storm with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft after playing at UConn for legendary college coach Geno Auriemma. She was an All-Star her first season in the league and finished her career as a 13-time All-Star. She won her first championship in 2004 after forming a lethal duo with Lauren Jackson. Bird ended her career after last season. During her final year in the WNBA, Bird averaged a career-low 7.8 points per game, 1.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.2 steals with shooting splits of 40.3 percent shooting from the field, 38.9 percent shooting from the three-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
Bird was named as one of the WNBA's top 25 players. In addition to her WNBA championships, Bird won two NCAA championships at UConn. She was also a member of five Gold Medal winning teams at the Olympics. Sue Bird having her jersey retirement is just the next step towards an eventual Hall of Fame selection.
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