This Sunday, June 11, 2023 will remain a significant evening in the history of the Seattle Storm, and even of the WNBA. After playing his last game last September, Sue Bird was back at the Climate Pledge Arena for his jersey retirement ceremony.
Considered one of the greatest players in the history of the WNBA, Sue Bird has spent her entire career there since the 2002 Draft, until last year, and this elimination in the playoffs against the Las Vegas Aces. To her credit, four WNBA championship titles, 13 All-Star selections, 8 All-WNBA selections… She also holds the record for assists in WNBA history (3,234) as well as the record for the number of games played (580).
“I will miss basketball forever, and that’s normal” reacted Sue Bird. “Some people try to avoid regretting it when they’re in my shoes, but the reality is that I will always miss it. There will be days, tomorrow, in a year, in five years when I will probably cry because I miss it and when I will be moved because I miss it. It’s part of life.”.
A speech of 1h30!
Even though the Seattle Storm lost at home to the Washington Mystics (71-65), nothing could spoil the celebrations. The festivities even began before the match, when Sue Bird received a standing ovation from the crowd upon her arrival. Of course, the room was packed with a large audience, who would not have missed this historic evening for anything in the world.
Sue Bird’s jersey retirement was the subject of a ceremony worthy of the longevity of her career: a duration of three hours, more than the duration of the meeting which preceded it. Several people spoke, whether members of the franchise, family or friends of the ex-player. But, by itself, the speech of the star of the evening was spread over 1h30!
“I didn’t expect it to be this long, but the truth is that I don’t know if I could have made it shorter. That is to say if it matters to me. It was so important to me to name names, quote people and tell them how much they meant.” justified Sue Bird. “I’m already thinking about the things I wish I had said and that’s really what my career has been here. It really goes beyond basketball courts. It has almost nothing to do with basketball, in many ways. The connection that I have with the city, with the fans of this franchise and what they gave me … I feel like there was a lot of talk last year about what I gave them. I just wanted to point out what all the people I named have given me and what I’m going to take. I think that’s why I wanted to make sure to thank those I wanted to thank, because I feel like this is the last time. Obviously, this isn’t the last time I’ll be in this room or the last time I’ll be there or anything like that. But the last time as a player. Now I’ll just be a former player.”.
Her legendary number 10 will now hang from the ceiling alongside Lauren Jackson’s number 15. These two players are the only players in franchise history to have their numbers retired.
