Andrew Pace
Sue Bird, considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history, announced her retirement from basketball on June 16, 2022, after a 19-year career. Bird played her entire career with the Seattle Storm, leading them to WNBA titles in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. She is the only WNBA player to win titles in three different decades and holds the record for the most career starts, with 580. In addition to her success in the WNBA, Bird represented the USA in international competitions, winning four consecutive Olympic gold medals and four World Championship titles.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Suzanne Brigit Bird |
| Date of Birth | October 16, 1980 |
| Profession | Former professional basketball player |
| Teams | Seattle Storm, Dynamo Moskva, Spartak Moskva, UMMC Ekaterinburg |
| Awards | 4 Olympic gold medals, 4 WNBA titles, 4 World Championships |
| Retirement | 2022 |
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What You'll Learn
Sue Bird's career highlights
Sue Bird, born Suzanne Brigit Bird, is a former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history. Here are some highlights from her illustrious career:
Early Promise
Even at school, Bird stood out as an athlete. She played basketball from a young age, starting with Amateur Athletic Union basketball in the sixth grade. At just 11 years old, she impressed onlookers with her basketball skills during halftime of a St. John's basketball game, where a security guard asked for her autograph. In high school, she was the New York State Player of the Year, the New York Daily News Player of the Year, and a WBCA All-American. She also led her Christ the King Regional High School team to a New York state championship and a national title.
Collegiate Success
Bird continued her basketball career at the University of Connecticut. In 2002, she won the Wade Trophy and the Naismith Award as College Player of the Year. She also led her UConn team to a record of 114–4 and won two NCAA Championships (2000, 2002).
WNBA Stardom
Bird was drafted first overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2002 WNBA draft. She made an immediate impact in her rookie season, starting all 32 games and averaging 14.4 points per game. She was selected as a starter on the 2002 WNBA Western Conference All-Star team and was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award. Bird helped the Storm make their first playoff appearance that year and scored a career-high 33 points in a regular-season game against the Portland Fire. Throughout her 20-year career with the Storm, she made a record 13 appearances playing in the Western Conference All-Star team. She won four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) and became the WNBA's all-time leader in assists.
International Dominance
Bird represented the USA National Team in numerous international competitions. She won a record five Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020), making her one of only two Olympic basketball players, along with her teammate Diana Taurasi, to achieve this feat. She also won four FIBA World Cups (2002, 2010, 2014, 2018) and five EuroLeague Women championships (2007–2010, 2013) with three different teams in the Russian league.
Post-Playing Career
After retiring from professional basketball in 2022, Bird has continued to contribute to the sport. She was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in the same year. She also served as vice president of the WNBA Players Union from 2018 to 2020, advocating for player activism and social justice initiatives.
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Sue Bird's retirement announcement
On June 16, 2022, legendary basketball player Sue Bird announced her retirement from the sport in Connecticut. The following day, she opened the game against the Sun by scoring back-to-back three-pointers. She then played her final game in New York on June 19, scoring a three-pointer in the last minute to seal a win for Seattle.
Bird's illustrious career spanned almost two decades, during which she played for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA. She was the first overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft and is considered one of the greatest players in the league's history. In her rookie season, she started all 32 games, averaging 14.4 points per game, and was selected as a starter on the 2002 WNBA Western Conference All-Star team.
Bird went on to become the all-time WNBA leader in career starts, with 580, and the league's winningest player with 333 games won. She led the Storm to WNBA titles in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. Additionally, she represented the USA national team, helping them win World Championships in 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018, and four consecutive Olympic gold medals from 2004 to 2016.
Bird's impact extended beyond the court. During her term as vice president of the WNBA Players Union, she navigated the league through the COVID-19 pandemic and successfully prioritized activism, allowing players to express social justice messages during games. Her accomplishments were recognized with numerous awards, including the Wade Trophy, Honda Sports Award, and Naismith Award.
As Bird embarked on a new chapter, her legacy was celebrated, including a street near Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle being renamed "Sue Bird Court." She inspired countless athletes and left an indelible mark on the world of basketball.
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Sue Bird's post-retirement career
Sue Bird is a former professional basketball player who played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history, with numerous accolades to her name, including four WNBA championships, five Olympic gold medals, and a place in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bird publicly announced her retirement from professional basketball in June 2022, and her last game was in September 2022, during the Storm's playoff loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Following her retirement, Bird has taken time to rest and relax, telling Insider, "It's been great. Really enjoyable kinda doing what I wanna do when I wanna do it." She has also been able to support her fiancée, Megan Rapinoe, in preparing for her 10th season with the NWSL's OL Reign in Seattle.
In addition to enjoying her newly retired life, Bird has stayed connected to the world of sports and continued her pioneering work in various ways. In March 2023, she co-founded TOGETHXR, a new media and commerce company focused on amplifying women's voices and showcasing women's sports. This venture aligns with Bird's advocacy for activism and social justice, which was evident during her term as vice president of the WNBA Players Union from 2018 to 2020. During her presidency, Bird successfully negotiated with the league to allow players to express social justice messages on jerseys and basketball courts.
Bird has also explored front office positions within basketball organizations. She held a position with the NBA's Denver Nuggets as their Basketball Operations Associate. This experience, combined with her exceptional playing career, makes her a strong candidate for future leadership roles in basketball.
While Bird has yet to announce any official plans for a full-time career post-retirement, her impact on the sport is undeniable, and her influence will continue to be felt for years to come.
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Sue Bird's legacy
Sue Bird is a former professional basketball player who played for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history. In 2022, Bird announced her retirement from professional basketball after the 2022 WNBA season.
Bird's legacy in basketball is an impressive one. She is the only WNBA player to win titles in three different decades and has won a joint-record four WNBA championships with the Storm (2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020). In addition to her success in the WNBA, Bird has also won five Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020), making her one of only two Olympic basketball players, of either gender, to achieve this feat. She has also won two NCAA Championships with UConn (2000 and 2002) and four FIBA World Cups (2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018). Bird's success has not just been in the number of medals and championships she has won, but also in the records she has achieved. She has been selected for thirteen WNBA All-Star teams and eight All-WNBA teams. In 2011, she was voted by fans as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time, and in 2021, she was voted into The W25 as one of the league's top 25 players of all time.
Bird has also made an impact off the court. She has been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the University of Connecticut Women's Basketball "Huskies of Honor" recognition program. In August 2018, she became the vice president of the WNBA players' union, and during her term, she navigated the WNBA through the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritised activism, and allowed players to express social justice messages on jerseys and basketball courts. Bird has also held a front-office position for the NBA's Denver Nuggets as their Basketball Operations Associate.
Bird's success and impact on the sport have been recognised in numerous ways. She has been invited to the White House six times and has had a street in Seattle named after her. She has also been elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Sue Bird's impact on the WNBA
Sue Bird, born Suzanne Brigit Bird, is an American former professional basketball player. She played her entire career with the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history.
Bird was drafted first overall by the Storm in the 2002 WNBA draft. In her rookie season, she started all 32 games for the Storm and averaged 14.4 points per game. She was selected as a starter on the 2002 WNBA Western Conference All-Star team and was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award. Bird led the Storm to their first playoff appearance alongside Lauren Jackson, who was drafted first overall the year before. During her rookie season, Bird scored a career-high 33 points in a regular-season game against the Portland Fire.
Bird has had a significant impact on the WNBA. She has won a joint-record four WNBA championships with the Storm (2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020). During her WNBA career, she has been selected for thirteen WNBA All-Star teams and eight All-WNBA teams. She was also voted by fans as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time in 2011, and was voted into the WNBA Top 20@20 as one of the league's top 20 players of all time in 2016. In 2021, she was voted into The W25 as one of the league's top 25 players of all time.
Bird has also used her platform in the WNBA to advocate for social justice. In August 2018, she became the vice president of the WNBA players' union. During her term, she navigated the WNBA during the COVID-19 pandemic and negotiated with the league on how to play games safely. She prioritized activism and successfully fought for players to be able to express social justice messages on jerseys and basketball courts.
Bird's impact on the WNBA has been recognized beyond the basketball court as well. In 2018, she broke the record for the most WNBA regular-season games played, appearing in her 500th game. In the same year, the city of Seattle renamed a street near Climate Pledge Arena "Sue Bird Court". She has been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Bird is also one of the only athletes ever to have been invited to the White House for their championship performance as a collegiate player, professional player, and as part of a championship team's ownership group.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Sue Bird has retired from basketball.
Sue Bird announced her retirement from basketball on June 16, 2022.
Bird played for the Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) for her entire career. She is considered one of the greatest players in WNBA history, with numerous awards and achievements to her name. She also played for the US women's national team and in the Russian league.
After her retirement, Bird took on a front office position with the NBA's Denver Nuggets as their Basketball Operations Associate. She also became vice president of the WNBA players' union in 2018 and played a key role in navigating the league during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2024, the city of Seattle renamed a street near Climate Pledge Arena to "Sue Bird Court" to honor her achievements and contributions to the sport. She was also inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025.
