Sue Bird was honored with a statue outside Climate Pledge Arena, marking the first time a WNBA player received such recognition from their franchise. During her speech, Bird expressed pride in being the first, emphasizing her hope for future WNBA legends to also be recognized. Over her two-decade career, Bird led the Seattle Storm to four championships and retired as the league's all-time leader in games, minutes, and assists, achieving 13 All-Star appearances. Her greatness, as noted by peers, is characterized not just by statistics but by the evolution of the game and her lasting impact.
"People keep asking me what it feels like to be the first. The truth is that I never set out to be the first at anything, but if being the first means I won't be the last, if this statue means that 20 years from now there will be statues of other WNBA greats - some who are in the audience and players whose names you don't even know yet - than I'm proud to be the first."
"We can have that basketball conversation. Greatness changes the game. Greatness evolves. Greatness stays and has longevity. And that's what Sue has."
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