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Sue Bird weekend in Seattle honoring basketball legend

By Kevin Ko, KIRO 7 News
By Kevin Ko, KIRO 7 News

SEATTLE — It’s “Sue Bird weekend” in Seattle, which leads up to the basketball legend’s jersey retirement at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday.

On Friday, the Space Needle commemorated the upcoming eternal honor by raising a replica of Bird’s jersey retirement banner.

Bird helped hoist the flag on a day when Seattle saw its first rainfall in 17 days.

“Rain’s my favorite, so I just wanted to make sure it was perfect for today,” Bird joked.

If you know anything about Sue Bird, you already know she’s one of the most-decorated basketball players, ever:

  • 4-time WNBA Champion
  • 5-time Olympia Gold Medalist
  • 4-time FIBA World Championship Gold Medalist
  • 2-time NCAA Champion (UCONN)
  • WNBA All-Decade Team (2006)
  • WNBA’s W25 Team, recognizing the 25 greatest players in WNBA history (2021)
  • All-time WNBA assists leader
  • Record-holder in other statistical categories, which you can read more about here.

“Sue Bird may be the greatest winner in the history of basketball, possibly surpassing even the legendary Bill Russell,” Bird’s bio on the Olympics website reads.

While Bird made a name for herself on the East Coast, she said Seattle has become her new home.

“Not to give away my speech on Sunday, but (Seattle) really has become my home in so many ways,” Bird said on Friday. “When I land at Sea-Tac, I feel like I’m home… This is where I’ve really grown up as an adult, and so for that reason, this is probably more home than anywhere else.”

When it comes to what’s next for Bird, that’s still up in the air.

Bird expressed interest in sports ownership, while also mentioning a front office role or coaching... but nothing in the immediate future.

“You really have to give 100% of yourself, and where I am right now, I’m just enjoying life. So, I’m not trying to give 100% to anything right now,” Bird said. “I really got as much as I could out of the game of basketball, out of the Seattle Storm, and vice versa. They got everything out of me.”

Bird’s fulfillment also includes acceptance of where she currently is in life.

“I’ll never get to play basketball again. I think I try to avoid talking about it because I know it’s going to bring up emotion, but of course, I’m sad… Watching the NBA playoffs, sometimes I get choked up. Watching these moments and knowing I’ll never have them again,” Bird said. “(A jersey retirement is) obviously one of those moments you can never repeat, so you really just want to take it all in. And you know, if the emotion comes, let it. Don’t fight it. Usually, I fight it.”

The Storm also unveiled a mural at 2030 First Avenue in Belltown on Friday, honoring Bird’s career. The mural was painted by local Seattle artist Craig Cundiff.

On Saturday, the Storm will host a clinic for girls ages 9-14 at the Rotary Boys & Girls Club in the Central District. It includes an hour-long basketball clinic and complimentary items.

On Sunday, it’s the big day. Sue Bird’s jersey retirement ceremony will take place after the Storm host the Washington Mystics at 12 p.m. at Climate Pledge Arena.

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