Sue Bird facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Sue Bird

Bird at SXSW 2024
Seattle Storm
Part owner
Personal information
Born	(1980-10-16) October 16, 1980 (age 44) Syosset, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American, Israeli
High school	Syosset (Syosset, New York) Christ the King (Queens, New York)
Listed height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Listed weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Career information
College	UConn (1998–2002)
NBA Draft	2002 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Seattle Storm
Pro career	2002–2022
League	WNBA
Career history
2002–2022	Seattle Storm
2004–2006	Dynamo Moscow
2006–2011	Spartak Moscow Region
2011–2014	UMMC Ekaterinburg
Career highlights and awards
4× WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) 13× WNBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005–2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022) 5× All-WNBA First Team (2002–2005, 2016) 3× All-WNBA Second Team (2008, 2010, 2011) 3× WNBA assists leader (2005, 2009, 2016) 2× WNBA peak performer (2009, 2016) WNBA 10th Anniversary Team (2006) WNBA 15th Anniversary Team (2011) WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016) WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021) Commissioner's Cup champion (2021) No. 10 retired by Seattle Storm USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year (2021) 5× Russian National League champion (2007, 2008, 2012–2014) 5× EuroLeague champion (2007–2010, 2013) 2× Europe SuperCup winner (2009, 2010) 2× NCAA champion (2000, 2002) 3× Nancy Lieberman Award (2000–2002) Wade Trophy (2002) Honda Sports Award (2002) Naismith College Player of the Year (2002) USBWA Women's National Player of the Year (2002) AP College Player of the Year (2002) Big East Player of the Year (2002) All-American – USBWA, Kodak (2002) First-team All-American – AP (2002) Third-team All-American – AP (2001) Senior CLASS Award (2002) 2× First-team All-Big East (2001, 2002)
Career WNBA statistics
Points	6,803 (11.7 ppg)
Rebounds	1,466 (2.5 rpg)
Assists	3,234 (5.6 apg)
Medals Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens Team Gold 2008 Beijing Team Gold 2012 London Team Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Gold 2020 Tokyo Team World Championship Gold 2002 China Gold 2010 Czech Republic Gold 2014 Turkey Gold 2018 Spain Bronze 2006 Brazil

Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is an American former professional basketball player. She played her entire career with the Seattle Storm in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Storm picked Bird first in the 2002 WNBA draft. Many people think she is one of the best players in WNBA history. As of 2024, Bird is the only WNBA player to win championships in three different decades. She also worked for the NBA's Denver Nuggets in their basketball operations. She has played for teams in Russia and has dual citizenship with both the U.S. and Israel.

In high school, Bird was named New York State Player of the Year. She also won the New York Daily News Player of the Year award. She was a WBCA All-American. In 2002, during her senior year at the undefeated University of Connecticut, she won the Wade Trophy and the Naismith Award. These awards recognize the best college player. She finished her college career as a top player in many areas. She won the Nancy Lieberman Award three times as the best point guard in the nation. Bird led her UConn team to an amazing record of 114 wins and only 4 losses.

Bird has won four WNBA championships with the Storm. These wins were in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. She also has a record-tying five Olympic gold medals. She won these in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. She also won two NCAA Championships with UConn (2000, 2002). Plus, she has four FIBA World Cups (2002, 2010, 2014, 2018). She is one of only 11 women to win all four of these major titles. She is also a five-time EuroLeague Women champion. During her WNBA career, she was picked for thirteen WNBA All-Star teams. She was also on eight All-WNBA teams. Fans voted her as one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time in 2011. She was also on the WNBA Top 20@20 list in 2016. In 2021, she was named to The W25 list. Her fifth Olympic gold medal, won at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, makes her one of only two basketball players, male or female, to win five gold medals. Her teammate Diana Taurasi is the other.

Sue Bird announced on June 16, 2022, that she would stop playing professional basketball after the 2022 WNBA season. Her last game was on September 7, 2022. The Storm lost their playoff game to the Las Vegas Aces that day.

Sue Bird has been invited to the White House many times. She was invited as a player on a championship college team (UConn). She also went as a player on a championship professional team (Seattle Storm). More recently, she was invited as part of the ownership group of a championship sports team (Gotham FC). In total, she has visited the White House six times. She has received invitations from every U.S. president since George H. W. Bush.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Bird was born in Syosset, New York, on Long Island. Her parents are Herschel and Nancy Bird. She has an older sister named Jen. Her father's family is Russian-Jewish. In the 1900s, Bird's grandparents came to the United States from what is now Ukraine. When her grandfather arrived at Ellis Island, their last name was changed from "Boorda" to "Bird." To follow European basketball rules, which limit American players on teams, Bird got Israeli citizenship. This was possible because of her Jewish father and grandparents. However, she plays for the United States, her birth country, in international games.

Bird loved sports from a young age. Her older sister, who was also athletic, inspired her. Besides basketball, she played soccer and tennis and ran track. Her fifth-grade yearbook mentioned her dreams of becoming a lawyer, doctor, or professional soccer player. Bird started playing Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball in the sixth grade. When she was only 11, she played during halftime of a college basketball game. She played so well that a security guard asked for her autograph!

High School Success

Bird played her first two years of high school basketball at Syosset High School. But she wanted to play against tougher teams. So, she moved to Christ the King Regional High School in Queens, New York. Bird played two seasons for Christ the King's Lady Royals basketball team. In her junior year, the Royals had a record of 24 wins and 3 losses. In her senior year, her team went undefeated. They won the New York state championship and the national title. Bird won many awards, including New York State Player of the Year. She was also named the New York Daily News Player of the Year. She became a WBCA All-American. She played in the High School All-America Game and scored 11 points.

College Days at UConn

Many university teams wanted Bird to play for them. These included UConn, Stanford, and Vanderbilt. She was leaning towards UConn. But she hesitated when two other point guards decided to join the team. After one of them changed her mind, Bird accepted UConn's offer. She also liked UConn because it was close to her home. This meant more chances for her family to watch her play.

Eight games into her first year, Bird hurt her knee. She tore her ACL. Because she had played more than 20% of the games, she could not take a redshirt year. This means she couldn't save that year of eligibility. In her second year (1999–2000), she came back strong. She led the team to a 36–1 record. They won the Big East Championship and the 2000 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. In her junior year (2000–2001), the Huskies went 32–3. Their final loss was to rival Notre Dame in the Final Four. However, the Huskies went undefeated in her senior year (2001–2002) with a 39–0 record. After this amazing season, Bird won the Wade Trophy, Honda Sports Award, and Naismith Award. These awards recognized her as the best college player.

During her junior year, Bird played a famous game against Notre Dame. Sportswriter Jeff Goldberg called it "the best women's basketball game ever played." Goldberg wrote a book about it called Bird at the Buzzer. The book describes how Bird made the winning shot at the buzzer.

She finished her UConn career with many records. As of 2005, she was No. 24 on the 1,000-point list with 1,378 points. She was No. 2 in assists with 585. She was seventh with 243 steals. She was also number 1 in three-point field goal percentage (45.9%) and free throw percentage (89.2%). She won two National Championships and three Big East Championships. Bird was the first person to win the Nancy Lieberman Award in 2000. This award goes to the best point guard in the nation. She won it again in 2001 and 2002. Her record at UConn in games she played was 114 wins and 4 losses. In 2006, Bird was part of the first group of players honored in the University of Connecticut women's basketball "Huskies of Honor" program.

Professional Career: WNBA Star

Bird during the 2008 playoffs against the LA Sparks

The Seattle Storm picked Bird first in the 2002 WNBA draft. She joined superstar Lauren Jackson, who was also picked first the year before. In her first season, Bird started all 32 games for the Storm. She averaged 14.4 points per game. She was chosen to start for the 2002 WNBA Western Conference All-Star team. Bird was almost named Rookie of the Year. She was one of only two rookies to make the All-WNBA First Team. Bird and Jackson led the Storm to their first playoff appearance. In her first year, Bird scored a career-high 33 points in a game against the Portland Fire. From 2002 to 2022, she made a record 13 appearances in the Western Conference All-Star team.

In 2004, the Storm got shooting guard Betty Lennox. She joined Bird and Lauren Jackson. They formed a powerful trio of star players. This group helped the Storm win their first WNBA Championship. With this win, Bird became one of only 11 women to achieve a rare feat. She had won an Olympic gold medal, an NCAA Championship, a FIBA World Cup gold, and a WNBA Championship. Other players who did this include Sheryl Swoopes and Diana Taurasi.

On the way to the Storm's second championship, Bird had a huge moment. In the Conference Finals against the Phoenix Mercury, Bird hit a game-winning three-pointer. This shot came with two seconds left in Game 2. It put the Storm up 91–88 after they had been down by 19 points. This win sent them to the 2010 WNBA Finals. In Game 1 of the 2010 WNBA Finals, Bird hit another game-winning shot. This jump shot with 2 seconds left put the Storm up 79–77. They went on to win the series easily. In 2011, players, coaches, and fans voted her one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All Time.

In 2012, Bird had knee problems. Still, she played 29 games in the regular season and playoffs. After the season, she had knee surgery. This meant she could not play the entire 2013 season.

Bird during the 2015 WNBA season

Bird came back for the 2014 WNBA season. That year, she played 33 games. She averaged 10.6 points and 4.0 assists per game. She was also voted a WNBA all-star. However, the Storm did not make the playoffs in 2014 or the next year.

On February 16, 2016, Bird signed a new deal with the Storm. In the 2016 season, Bird played very well. She averaged 12.8 points per game. She also shot her best percentage for three-pointers. She led the league in assists with 5.8 per game. For the fifth time in her career, Bird was named to the All-WNBA First Team. Before the season, the Storm picked Breanna Stewart first in the 2016 WNBA draft. They had also picked Jewell Loyd first the year before. With Stewart and Loyd becoming stars, the Storm made the playoffs again. They had a 16–18 record. They were the number 7 seed and lost to the Atlanta Dream in the first round. Bird was also on the WNBA Top 20@20 list. This list celebrated the league's best 20 players for its twentieth anniversary.

Bird playing for Seattle Storm in 2018

In April 2017, Bird had knee surgery again. This made her miss training camp. But she returned on May 21, 2017. She became the oldest active player and starter in the WNBA. She scored 9 points and had 10 assists in a win over the Washington Mystics. On June 11, 2017, Bird scored a season-high 21 points and 10 assists. She was voted into the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game. This was her 10th All-Star game, tying Tamika Catchings for the most appearances. Bird set an All-Star Game record with 11 assists. On September 1, 2017, Bird became the WNBA's all-time leader in assists. She passed Ticha Penicheiro with 2,600 career assists. She finished the 2017 season averaging a career-high in assists. The Storm finished 14–19 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.

On July 8, 2018, Bird scored a season-high 21 points. She also became the Storm's all-time leading scorer. She passed Lauren Jackson's 6,007 points. On July 19, 2018, Bird was voted into the 2018 WNBA All-Star Game. This made her the player with the most All-Star appearances ever. On July 22, 2018, Bird broke another record. She played her 500th WNBA regular-season game. This passed Delisha Milton-Jones for the most games played. By the end of the season, Bird had career-highs in assists and shooting percentages. The Storm finished as the number 1 team with a 26–8 record. They got a direct pass to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the Storm beat the Phoenix Mercury in a tough five-game series. Bird scored a season-high 22 points in Game 5. The Storm then swept the Washington Mystics in the Finals. They won their first championship in 8 years.

In August 2018, Sue Bird became vice president of the WNBA players' union. During her time, Bird helped guide the WNBA during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She worked with the league to play safely. The players wanted to use social justice messages during games. Bird's leadership helped the WNBA allow players to show these messages. For example, they could put them on jerseys and basketball courts.

In May 2019, Bird needed surgery on her left knee again. She missed the rest of the 2019 season. Another key player, Breanna Stewart, also missed the season. The Storm still made the playoffs. But they were eliminated in the second round.

In 2020, Bird returned to play. She played 11 games in the regular season. The season was shorter due to the pandemic. All games were played in a special "wubble" area at the IMG Academy. She hurt her knee again during the season and missed five games. The Storm finished 18–4 and were the number 2 team. They swept the Minnesota Lynx in the semi-finals. This sent them to the WNBA Finals for the second time in three years. In the Finals, the Storm won the championship. They beat the Las Vegas Aces in three games. This gave Bird her fourth WNBA championship. She became the first player in WNBA history to win a championship in three different decades.

In 2021, Bird signed a one-year deal with the Storm. This allowed her to play her 18th season. She passed Milton-Jones for the most seasons played in the WNBA. In July 2021, Bird passed Katie Smith on the WNBA career scoring list. She was honored on The W25 list. This list recognized the "25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history." It celebrated the league's 25th season.

On June 16, 2022, Bird announced her retirement after the 2022 WNBA season. On July 23, 2023, the Seattle Storm retired her number 10 jersey. This ceremony happened at Climate Pledge Arena. Former teammates and owners were there.

Playing Overseas

In the 2004–05 WNBA off-season, Bird played in Russia. She played for Dynamo Moscow with Storm teammate Kamila Vodichkova. In the 2005–06 off-season, she played for the same team. They reached the Russian championship and the EuroLeague women's playoffs.

In the 2006–07 WNBA off-season, she joined Storm teammate Lauren Jackson and UConn stars Diana Taurasi and Svetlana Abrosimova. They played for the Russian team Sparta&K. They won both the Russian Super League and the EuroLeague Women championships. Bird continued to play with this team for the next four WNBA off-seasons.

From 2011 to 2014, Bird played three off-seasons for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian League. She won three more championships in the Russian league.

Representing Team USA

Bird playing for the USA women's national basketball team at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Bird has played for USA Basketball. She was part of the 2000 Jones Cup Team in Taiwan. She started all four games and led the team with 17 assists. They won the gold medal.

In 2002, Bird was named to the national team for the World Championships in China. The team won all nine games. They had a close title game against Russia.

In 2003–2004, Bird was chosen for the United States 2004 Women's Olympic Basketball Team. The USA team won the gold medal at the games in Athens, Greece.

In 2006, Bird was invited back to the National team for the World Championships in Brazil. With some older players retiring, Bird, Candace Parker, and Diana Taurasi became key leaders. The USA team won eight of nine games. But they lost to Russia in the medal round and won the bronze medal. Bird made 50% of her three-point shots. She also led the team with 41 assists.

In 2008, Bird again made the Olympic basketball team. They won the 2008 gold medal in Beijing, China. Bird started all eight games. She tied with teammate Tamika Catchings with 14 steals.

Bird was invited to the USA Basketball Women's National Team training camp in 2009. On July 10, 2010, Bird played in a special WNBA All-Star game. It was the USA National team against the best WNBA All-Stars. Team USA won the game 99–72. Bird then played for the USA team in the FIBA World Championships in the Czech Republic.

The USA World team had only one day of practice together before the World Cup. Even with little practice, the team won their first game by 26 points. They kept winning by big margins. Their sixth game was against undefeated Australia. Team USA won 83–75. They then faced the Czech Republic in the championship game. Team USA won the championship and the gold medal. Bird averaged 5.6 points per game. She led the team in assists with 26.

Bird played for the U.S. in the 2012 Summer Olympics. The Americans won their fifth straight gold medal. In 2014, Bird played for Team USA in the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women. They beat Spain to win the gold medal.

Bird played for Team USA in the 2016 Summer Olympics. She helped the team win its sixth straight gold medal. In the gold medal game, they beat Spain 101–72. This was Bird's fourth Olympic title.

In 2018, Bird played for Team USA in the 2018 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup in Spain. USA beat Australia to win the gold medal. By winning this, Bird became the only player, male or female, to win four World Cup gold medals. Bird had five assists in the final game. This made her the leader for the U.S. with the most assists at the World Cup.

On July 23, 2021, Bird carried the U.S. flag at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Bird and baseball player Eddy Alvarez were chosen by other athletes to be the flag bearers. Bird said the honor was "mind-blowing." The Games were delayed from 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Life Off the Court

Sue Bird greets the ESPN broadcast team after a WNBA Playoffs game between the New York Liberty and the Atlanta Dream in 2024.

Sue Bird is engaged to soccer player Megan Rapinoe. They met at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2018, she and Rapinoe were the first couple to be on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's "Body Issue." They announced their engagement on October 30, 2020.

In 2020, Bird and Rapinoe were the first couple to co-host the ESPYs. In 2022, Bird became a part-owner of the National Women's Soccer League team NJ/NY Gotham FC. She also joined the ownership group of the Seattle Storm in 2024. On August 26, 2024, the city of Seattle renamed a street near Climate Pledge Arena to "Sue Bird Court." On July 16, 2024, Mattel announced a Sue Bird Barbie doll. This was part of Barbie's 65th anniversary.

WNBA Career Statistics

†	Denotes seasons in which Bird won a WNBA championship
	WNBA record

Career Achievements

As of September 1, 2024

• Only player to win a WNBA championship in three different decades (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020)
• Oldest player in WNBA history to play a whole season: 41 years, 246 days
• Top 10 all-time in:
  • 1st in seasons played (20)
  • 1st in games played (580)
  • 1st in assists (3,234)
  • 1st in minutes played (18,080)
  • 1st in All-Star selections (13)
  • 1st in All-Star appearances (12)
  • 2nd in 3-pointers made (1,001)
  • 2nd in 3-point attempts (2,551)
  • 2nd in turnovers (1,393)
  • 3rd in steals (725)
  • 6th in field goal attempts (5,778)
  • 6th in field goals missed (3,233)
  • 7th in field goals made (3,299)
  • 8th in points (6,803)

Regular Season Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	TO	PPG
2002	Seattle	32°	32°	35.0	.403	.401	.911°	2.6	6.0	1.7	0.1	3.4	14.4
2003	Seattle	34°	34°	33.4	.421	.350	.884	3.3	6.5	1.4	0.0	3.2	12.4
2004†	Seattle	34°	34°	33.4	.463	.438	.859	3.1	5.4	1.5	0.2	2.5	12.9
2005	Seattle	30	30	34.0	.442	.437	.855	2.4	5.9°	1.0	0.2	2.9	12.1
2006	Seattle	34°	34°	31.3	.411	.366	.868	3.0	4.8	1.8	0.1	2.5	11.4
2007	Seattle	29	29	31.7	.428	.338	.846	2.0	4.9	1.5	0.3	2.3	10.4
2008	Seattle	33	33	33.7	.441	.343	.871	2.5	5.1	1.2	0.1	2.6	14.1
2009	Seattle	31	31	35.5°	.408	.360	.854	2.5	5.8°	1.5	0.1	2.6	12.8
2010†	Seattle	33	33	30.5	.434	.399	.857	2.7	5.8	1.5	0.2	1.8	11.1
2011	Seattle	34°	34°	33.0	.449	.428	.875	2.9	4.9	1.4	0.2	2.3	14.7
2012	Seattle	29	29	31.0	.459	.384	.783	2.9	5.3	0.9	0.1	2.2	12.2
2013	Did not play (injury)
2014	Seattle	33	33	29.2	.386	.345	.831	2.2	4.0	0.8	0.0	2.2	10.6
2015	Seattle	27	27	28.6	.384	.301	.796	2.3	5.4	0.9	0.1	2.4	10.3
2016	Seattle	34°	34°	31.6	.449	.444	.786	2.9	5.8°	1.0	0.2	2.5	12.8
2017	Seattle	30	30	30.0	.427	.393	.774	2.0	6.6	1.2	0.2	2.0	10.6
2018†	Seattle	31	31	26.5	.466	.448	.828	1.7	7.1	1.1	0.1	1.9	10.1
2019	Did not play (injury)
2020†	Seattle	11	11	23.4	.494	.469	.750	1.7	5.2	0.6	0.2	1.6	9.8
2021	Seattle	30	30	27.7	.431	.419	.833	2.6	5.3	0.9	0.1	1.6	10.0
2022	Seattle	31	31	26.4	.403	.389	1.000	1.9	6.0	1.2	0.1	1.9	7.8
Career	19 years, 1 team	580	580	31.2	.429	.392	.853	2.5	5.6	1.3	0.1	2.4	11.7
	All-Star	12	11	20.6	.463	.395	.714	2.9	5.8	0.7	0.2	1.6	6.8

Playoff Statistics

Awards and Honors

WNBA

• 4× WNBA champion (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020)
• Commissioner's Cup Champion (2021)
• 12× WNBA All-Star (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
• 5× All-WNBA First Team (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2016)
• 3× All-WNBA Second Team (2008, 2010, 2011)
• 3× WNBA assists leader (2005, 2009, 2016)
• 2× WNBA peak performer (2009, 2016)
• All-time record for All-star appearances
• All-time leader seasons played
• All-time assists leader
• All-time leader in games played
• All-time leader in minutes played
• All-time leader turnovers
• WNBA All-Decade Team (2006, Top 10 players from first 10 years)
• WNBA Top 15 Players of All Time (2011, Top 15 players from first 15 years)
• WNBA Top 20@20 (2016, Top 20 players from first 20 years)
• The W25 (2021, Top 25 players from first 25 years)

NCAA

• 2× NCAA National Champion (2000, 2002)
• 3× Nancy Lieberman Award (2000, 2001, 2002)
• Naismith College Player of the Year (2002)
• USBWA Women's National Player of the Year (2002)
• Senior CLASS Award (2002)
• Big East Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Year (2002)
• Honda Sports Award, basketball (2002)

USA Basketball

• 5× Olympic gold medalist (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020)
• 4× FIBA World Cup gold medalist (2002, 2010, 2014, 2018)
• 2006 FIBA World Cup bronze medalist

EuroLeague

• 5× EuroLeague Women Champion (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013)
• 2× EuroLeague All-Star (2008,2011)

Media

• Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year (2002)
• 2002 ESPY Award - Best Female College Athlete

See Also

In Spanish: Sue Bird para niños

• UConn Huskies women's basketball
• List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
• List of Connecticut women's basketball players with 1000 points
• List of Connecticut Huskies women's basketball players with 500 assists
• List of select Jewish basketball players
• List of Jewish Olympic medalists
• List of WNBA career scoring leaders
• List of WNBA career assists leaders
• List of Women's National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of Women's National Basketball Association season assists leaders