David Bridges
UConn legend Sue Bird has officially played her final game after the Seattle Storm lost to the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA playoffs Tuesday night.
Bird announced her retirement on June 16. Selected by the Storm with the first pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft, Bird spent 20 years in the league before her reign came to end.
She leaves the sport as one of the winningest players in history. That legacy began with won two national championships at UConn and continued with four WNBA championships with the Storm, making Bird the first player in league history to win a championship in three different decades.
Bird is also first player in history — man or woman — to win four championships at the FIBA World Cup.
Bird became one of only two Olympic basketball players to win five Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020). The other player to accomplish this same feat? Former UConn teammate and close friend Diana Taurasi.
Her list of accomplishments is long: Bird was the WNBA assist leader in 2005, 2009 and 2016, she made 12 WNBA All-Star teams and eight All-WNBA teams, and she is the league’s all-time leader in games, assists and minutes.
No wonder there was a strong reaction to Bird’s retirement, including social media shout outs from former UConn players and some of the biggest names in basketball.
Paige Bueckers wrote on her Instagram story: “Thank you Sue” with a goat emoji.
A sample of reaction on social media, including Tweets from Bird’s teams:
From one legend to another:
Former NBA player Jamal Crawford commented on Sue Bird joining other legends that retired from their sports:
Former UConn great Katie Lou Samuelson reacted:
From former Husky Bria Hartley:
And former UConn guard Kia Nurse:
Her partner Megan Rapinoe tweeted:
Finally, Sue’s last basket:
Clara Hastings
Troy Sanders
