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The WNBA’s all-time assist leader will end her career, as Sue Bird announced via her Twitter account that she will retire following the 2022 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 ☺️ #TheFinalYear @seattlestorm pic.twitter.com/Uo2YqCCKUD
— Sue Bird (@S10Bird) June 16, 2022
Bird has played 19 seasons over 21 years for the Seattle Storm, becoming the W’s all-time leader in games played (559), minutes (17532), assists (3114), and is second in three-pointers made (965) to her former UConn teammate Diana Taurasi. She has only ever worn two uniforms as a professional player in the United States; for the Storm and for Team USA Basketball.
The Storm have won four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) with the greatest point guard in the history of women’s basketball at the helm. She also won five gold medals as a starter with Team USA (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020), and two NCAA Division I championships with the UConn Huskies (2000, 2002).
There’s not much doubt she’s the greatest point guard ever in women’s basketball, and the work she’s done off the court for LGBTQ rights and social justice issues as half of one of America’s most popular same-sex couples with fiancee Megan Rapinoe is just as meaningful. And as one of the biggest sneakerheads in all of hoops, her Kyrie 4 Lows are some of the first shoes to honor a women’s basketball player.
This will only fuel speculation about Breanna Stewart leaving for the New York Liberty this offseason and joining forces with Sabrina Ionescu in Brooklyn. But for now, the Storm have one more championship to win. The Storm are three games back of the Las Vegas Aces in the Western Conference, and will make another run at a championship with the GOAT of point guards at the helm one last time.