It was Sue Bird’s last game at KeyArena. In her 651 regular season and playoff games, Sue Bird has been a leader for the Seattle Storm for 19 years. She finished Sunday with nine points, four rebounds and six assists in the team’s 89-81 loss to the Las Vegas Aces
“Right now I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, how thankful I am,” Bird said while addressing the crowd after the game. “Not only for today, and all of you showing up and supporting us, but for 21 years… This place is not only where I played, it’s where I call home.”
The Storm honored Bird with a touching ceremony in front of a sold-out crowd. This was the largest crowd in franchise history, and the largest ever to watch basketball at Climate Pledge Arena.
.@S10Bird taking it ALL IN ????
In a sold out arena, Sue Bird is honored before her final regular season home game in Seattle ????#MoreThan pic.twitter.com/tGCuWHwBqV
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 7, 2022
Sheryl Swoopes received a custom ring to honor all of her accomplishments, including her four WNBA titles and being the league’s all-time assists leader.
Mayor Harrell declared Sunday would be “Sue Bird Day” to honor her contributions during her time in Seattle.
From the many achievements this woman has attained, she is one of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all time and has been an All-Star in 13 games, All-WNBA 8 times, won Olympic Gold five times, World Cup gold medals four times, and two NCAA Championships.
Although some people have accused (name of individual) of being a vocal proponent – using her influence to make change – she also advocates for social change initiatives, including LGBTQ+ rights and racial equality.
After a lifetime of community service and contribution to our city, the city of Seattle wishes Suzanne Brigit Bird luck in retirement.
Now, therefore, I, Bruce Harrell, mayor of Seattle, do hereby proclaim August 7, 2022 to be Sue Bird Day.
The Storm have already clinched a playoff spot. There’s a chance that this is not only her last regular season game, but her last home game of the season. The Storm are currently locked in a tight battle with the Washington Mystics to secure the No. 4 seed and gain home court advantage in the first round.
If the Storm end up as the No. 5 seed, they will play Game 2 away from Seattle and then potentially Game 3 on the road. Without home field advantage, it’s unlikely that they would emerge victorious in this scenario.
