8 Fun Facts About WNBA Star Sue Bird
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Sue Bird is a WNBA superstar and currently plays for the Seattle Storm. After being drafted into the league in 2002, Bird has completed dominated in every aspect of the game. From winning major championships to breaking records, it’s no wonder she’s one of the best female basketball players of all time.
From where she went to high school to her high-profile relationship, here are some fun facts you need to know about the basketball star.
In 2020, Bird won her fourth WNBA championship with the Storm. She previously won in 2004, 2010, and 2018. She is the only WNBA player to win a championship in three different decades and only two NBA players have been able to do it — Tim Duncan and John Salley. Take that, Michael Jordan!
After playing her college career at the University of Connecticut, she was drafted by the Seattle Storm with the number one pick. It was clear throughout her time in college that she was going to be a fantastic player, as she managed to win two NCAA championships and still ranks number one in three-point percentage. Now that she’s played nearly two decades in the WNBA, it’s safe to say Seattle made the right choice in selecting her.
Bird grew up in Syosset, New York on Long Island and attended Syosset High School. While it would be easy to assume she’s one of the most successful alumni from her school, she joins a long list of successful graduates. In fact, Judd Apatow, Idina Menzel, and Natalie Portman all attended Syosset High School.
Bird has worn the number 10 throughout most of her WNBA career, but she actually first picked the number because she and her sister, Jen, were born in October.
Along with being a four-time WNBA champion, Bird has also managed to win four Olympic gold medals. She was on the US Women’s National team in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. Though the team for this year’s Olympic Games hasn’t been announced, Bird is certainly qualified to go after her fifth medal.
After publically coming out as a lesbian in 2017, Bird announced she was dating soccer star, and champion in her own right, Megan Rapinoe. The couple actually became the first same-sex couple on the cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” After a few years of dating, the couple announced their engagement in October 2020.
Along with playing in the WNBA, Bird has also played overseas. In fact, in the 2004-2005 off-season, she went to Russia to play for a professional team in Moscow. She then returned to the same team during the 2005-2006 off-season. From 2011 to 2014, Bird played three off-seasons for UMMC Ekaterinburg and won three consecutive championships.
Bird re-signed with the Seattle Storm in 2021 on a one-year deal. With this deal, Bird will play her 18th season in the league, making her the only player to play 18 seasons in the WNBA. She has now moved past Delisha Milton-Jones, who played 17 seasons in the league.