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Sue Bird for Seattle Storm, September 2021
Photo:
Elaine Thompson/AP
Basketball legend Sue Bird has announced her retirement.
The 41-year-old and her Seattle Storm team confirmed on social media on Thursday evening that the current WNBA season will be the last for the exceptional player.
Sue Bird is currently in her 19th season in the top women's basketball league in the world since she was drafted No. 1 by the Storm in 2002.
“I've decided this will be my last year.
I loved every single minute and still do so I'm going to play my senior year just like this little girl played her first," Bird wrote on Twitter, along with photos of herself now and as a child.
Seattle Storm plays in New York, Bird's home country, on Sunday.
Bird said in a video released on Thursday (local time) that she is now announcing her retirement so that friends and family can see her play live again knowing this.
Bird, who is engaged to US soccer player Megan Rapinoe, has played for Seattle her entire career.
This season is her 21st with the franchise but only her 19th as a player after missing two seasons through injuries.
"I really wanted to announce my retirement and say it's my last year so I can share this with my family and friends, with all the people in New York who saw me grow up, so they can come and say one last thing play in my home state.
So I'm really looking forward to it.
But it's also bittersweet."
Bird holds multiple WNBA records
The 12-time All-Star and four-time WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018 and 2020) holds the league-record total assists (3,114), games (559) and game minutes (17,532).
She is second in 3-pointers (965), fourth in steals (700), and seventh in points (6,639).
The five-time Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020) also won two college championships at the University of Connecticut (2000 and 2002).
In the WNBA breaks between 2006 and 2011 she also played for Spartak Moscow, with whom she won the Euroleague four times in a row.
From 2011 to 2014 she was also under contract in Yekaterinburg.
ara/rtr/dpa
