Storm legend Sue Bird announces she will retire after 2022 season

SEATTLE – Sue Bird laughed, joked and cried during an emotional news conference Thursday afternoon in which the WNBA superstar announced she’s retiring after the season.

Several times, the 41-year-old Storm star, who is the WNBA’s all-time assists leader and arguably the greatest player in team history, shed what she called “happy and sad tears” while reflecting on a brilliant 21-year career spent entirely with the Storm.

“Not a lot of people do something for their entire lives the way that athletes do,” Bird said. “Don’t get me wrong, I know that people are fulfilled in other ways and it’s not about a comparison. It’s just, sports is different, I think. I’ve been doing this since I was 5-6 years old. It’s really all I know. Of course, I’m sad. It’s a little bit like a mourning knowing I’m going to miss it, but I have no regrets.

“I feel wonderful about my career, the people I’ve met and the things we’ve all accomplished. That’s the sum up of that. And I’m excited about the next chapter. Like I said, I get to start this new life. But yeah, I know my personality.

“This is probably why for like a lot of years I’ve been saying I’m not going to announce my retirement while I play because I knew I would get like this.”

Bird told her Storm teammates Wednesday night during team dinner and notified the staff Thursday morning before making the announcement via social media.

“I’ve decided this will be my final year,” she posted along with a photo of her from last season and as a child playing basketball. “I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first.”

Bird, who turns 42 in October, is playing her 19th season – she sat out in 2013 and 2019 due to injuries – since being taken No. 1 overall by the Storm in the 2002 WNBA draft and has led Seattle to four league championships. The 12-time WNBA All-Star is the only player to win league championships in three different decades.

In addition to tallying the most assists (3,114) in WNBA history, Bird will retire No. 1 in games played (599), second in career 3-pointers (965), fourth in steals (700) and seventh in points (6,639).

Bird considered retiring last year and admitted she returned due in part to a “One More Year” chant she received from fans following Seattle’s second-round playoffs loss, which ended the 2021 season.

The Seattle icon was also motivated to play at the new $1.15 billion Climate Pledge Arena.

Bird, who made $221,450 in 2021, voluntarily took a massive pay cut and signed a one-year deal worth $72,141, which helped the Storm re-sign Breanna Stewart, Jewell Loyd and Mercedes Russell while bringing in high-priced newcomers Gabby Williams and Briann January.

During an in-depth one-on-one interview before the season, Bird explained why she took less money this year.

“I play to win,” she said. “I just want to be on a team that’s able to win. What I find in sports, and this may be specific to women’s sports, you get all the things you want when you win. You don’t necessarily get those by looking at your bank account. Everyone has to figure that out for themselves, but that’s what I found for me.”

After a wobbly 5-4 start, the Storm are fourth in the WNBA standings at 9-5 and have a four-game winning streak heading into Friday’s 4 p.m. game at Connecticut (11-4).

This season, Bird is averaging 7.8 points on 33.8% shooting – both career lows – while tallying 6.6 assists per game, which ranks third in the WNBA.

Bird missed three games while in the league’s health and safety protocols and she sat out Tuesday’s 81-79 win at Minnesota due to illness.

It’s no coincidence Bird’s announcement precedes Sunday’s matchup against the New York Liberty, which will be played about 30 miles where the former Connecticut Huskies star grew up in Syosset, New York.

“Once I saw the schedule and once I started packing for this trip a little bit, I was like this is going to be my last time playing in New York and my last time playing in front of family and friends,” Bird said in a video posted by the Storm on social media. “That’s why the timing of this is what it is. I just really felt strongly about announcing my retirement and saying it was my last year, so I can share that with my family and friends and all the people in New York who’ve watched me growing up so they can come and see my play for the last time in my home state.

“I’m excited about this, but it’s also bittersweet, of course.”