WNBA star Sue Bird: ‘This will be my final year’

Seattle Storm guard and WNBA legend Sue Bird confirmed Thursday, June 16, that this will be her last season.

“I’ve decided this will be my final year. I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first,” Bird posted on Twitter along with photos of herself currently and as a child.

Bird, 41, is averaging 7.8 points, 6.6 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals through 10 starts this season, her 19th season since being drafted No. 1 overall by the Storm in 2002.

The 12-time All-Star and four-time WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020) is the league’s all-time leader in assists (3,114), games (559), and minutes played (17,532). She ranks second in three-point field goals (965), fourth in steals (700), and seventh in points (6,639).

I’ve decided this will be my final year. I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first ☺️ #TheFinalYear @seattlestorm pic.twitter.com/Uo2YqCCKUD

— Sue Bird (@S10Bird) June 16, 2022

Bird was named to the WNBA’s 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th anniversary teams and owns career averages of 11.9 points, 5.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.

A five-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020), Bird also won two NCAA championships at UConn (2000 and 2002).

The former Huskies star and New York native made the announcement as the Storm are set to visit the Connecticut Sun on Friday and the New York Liberty on Sunday.

“As the season has gone, like I said, I pretty much knew, and then once I saw the schedule, and then once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be my last time playing in New York. My last time playing in front of my family and friends.’ And so that’s why the timing of this is what it is,” Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media.

“I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement, saying it was my last year so I can share that with my family and my friends, all the people in New York who have watched me growing up so they can come and see me play for the last time in my home state. So I’m excited about that. It’s also bittersweet.” – Rappler.com