More than 18,000 fans sent off four-time WNBA champion Sue Bird, who announced the end of her long and successful career.
Sue Bird played her final regular-season game with the Seattle Storm, and even though she has a chance to step on the playground at Climate Pledge Arena again in the playoffs, a record 18,100 people showed up to chant “Thank you, Sue”.
“To be honest, I haven’t prepared anything special for this moment. I don’t even know how to prepare for this thing. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart and tell you that I am infinitely grateful for the support”, said the five-time Olympic champion with the USA in front of the fans in the hall.
Sue Bird, 41, didn’t have the perfect send-off after Seattle Storm lost to the Las Vegas Aces by 81-89, but the team had already clinched a playoff spot anyway. The Seattle Storm player, who has made 13 All-Star appearances, finished with 9 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds.
Sue Bird, who was supported in the stands by her fiancee and two-time soccer world champion Megan Rapinoe, has played in the NCAA in 21 of the league’s 26 years. After the match, she told reporters that she hopes the US female athletes will soon stop “playing for crumbs”.
“WNBA has made a big step forward in recent years, as the product has significantly increased its quality”, she added.
Sue Bird was drafted by the Seattle Storm first overall in the 2002 WNBA draft and is considered to be one of the greatest players in WNBA history.
