On Sunday, the Seattle Storm unveiled the bronze statue of legend Sue Bird, who became the first former player in WNBA history to have a statue, before the team took on the Phoenix Mercury at Climate Pledge Arena.
The statue features Bird’s signature move in layup with her Nike Air Zoom Huarache 2K4 PEs shoes, which she wore during the Storm’s first WNBA championship in 2004.
“Some fun little fact about my career that maybe some of you know, maybe not,” Bird said. “My very first points in the WNBA at KeyArena as a rookie were on a layup. My very final points in the WNBA were at Climate Pledge on a layup.”
Why 2025 Is a Standout Year for Sue Bird
Bird’s accomplishments continue to be recognized, as she will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month. Additionally, Bird was named to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2025.
“People keep asking me what it feels like to be the first,” Bird said at the unveiling. “The truth is that I never set out to be the first at anything, but if being the first means that I won’t be the last, if this statue means that 20 years from now, there will be statues of other WNBA greats— some are in this audience and players whose names we don’t even know yet—then I’m proud to be the first.”
In attendance was Bird’s former teammates and coaches, whom she knew throughout her professional career. They included UConn alums Diana Taurasi and Swin Cash, former Storm forward Lauren Jackson, and her coaches Lin Dunn, Brian Agler, and Dan Hughes.
Cash won two NCAA Championships, two Olympic gold medals, and the 2010 WNBA Championship alongside Bird. While speaking at the unveiling, she mentioned how special it was to be part of the occasion.
“We can have that basketball conversation,” Cash said. “Greatness changes the game. Greatness evolves. Greatness stays and has longevity. And that’s what Sue has.”
Sue Bird is the Heart of Seattle Storm
Notable for her pick-and-roll mastery and leadership on the court, Bird spent 19 seasons as a member of the Storm, leading them to four WNBA Championships and winning five gold medals. Bird is also the WNBA’s all-time assists leader in league history with 3,234.
Sue bird got her statue! Congrats to the legend! pic.twitter.com/5PyVDg3BCj
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) August 17, 2025
Throughout her professional career with Seattle, Bird was named to a league-record 13 All-Star teams, eight All-WNBA First and Second Teams, and won Peak Performer awards twice. With her contributions to the game of women’s basketball throughout the years, she is one of the greatest point guards to ever play in WNBA history.
“Sue is Seattle,” Seattle Storm head coach Noelle Quinn said pregame. “She is the Storm. She is an ambassador for women in sport, women’s basketball. Even still after her career is done, she’s been so impactful with her voice, her platform to have her and her career commemorated in a statute, especially not a lot of people get things like that.”
Quinn emphasized the influence Bird has had on the entire world of basketball. Having won the 2018 WNBA Championship as teammates in Seattle, Quinn was later named head coach of Bird and the Storm in May 2021.
“And so you understand the impact that she made, not only on the basketball court, but in this community, for our game globally, said Quinn. “It was an honor to play with her. It was an honor to coach her. She’s one of the smartest people I know.”
Taurasi Shows Support in Seattle
Bird and Taurasi are the only players in WNBA history to play 20 or more seasons with a single team, having spent that time with the Storm and Mercury, respectively. Their friendship, which began during their days at UConn and continued throughout their professional careers, is noticeable as they made their mark on the game of women’s basketball.
“I mean, no one deserves it more than Sue,” Taurasi said of Bird. “No player, no city. I mean, what she’s done for Seattle and the love that they showed back, that’s what sports is about. Loyalty. Competition. And Sue (Bird) does all of that.”
“That’s what sports is about. Loyalty. Competition. And Sue does all of that.” 🧡
From one best friend to the other, Diana Taurasi shares what Sue Bird’s statue, that she has deemed the “ultimate one up”, means to the city of Seattle! pic.twitter.com/dDVUxg4a64
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 17, 2025
Bird joins NBA legends and Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and the late Kobe Bryant as the only basketball players to have played 20 or more seasons and to have a statue. When asked about being amongst that basketball royalty, Bird said it was pretty cool.
“I mean the royalty part is incredible,” Bird said. “Those are names. Anytime you’re amongst players like that, what they did in their careers, the winning, how they did it, that’s really special. But I think the loyalty might stick out more than than anything.
“And it’s not like when I have this conversation, it’s not to pat yourself on the back for the loyalty. It’s just that it is rare at times… But at the same time, I look back on it now, and it is really special to have played in one place. It does mean something different for me to come back to the city, to come to games. There’s just a different connection I have because I only played here. And so that, to me, is what’s really special. It goes beyond basketball, the impact you have on communities. Same with Dirk, same with Kobe. So it is the royalty aspect, but the loyalty even means more to me.”
Seattle Will Always Be Home for Sue Bird
When it comes to expressing gratitude for the city of Seattle, Bird believes it was a place that taught her valuable lessons during adulthood, and more importantly, how much the city means to her. She built a legacy that future generations will remember for years to come.
“I mean, it’s given me a home,” Bird said. “The city has given me a home, a place where I could have a career. A place where I felt welcome, a place where I really grew up. I mean, in a lot of ways, I really grew up here my adult years. I learned how to be an adult…So even, even in the smallest of ways, I really grew up here, and the city of Seattle just always embraced me. Obviously, always cheered us on, and allowed for all of that growth. So I’m forever thankful for that.”
As Bird became the first former WNBA player to have a statue, other legends who paved the way in the league such as Taurasi, Candace Parker, or Maya Moore, could also have statues in the future. While Bird was the first, she laid the foundation for many in the future.
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