Seattle Storm great Sue Bird officially announced on Thursday that this will be her final year, revealing the news via Instagram.
“I’ve decided this will be my final year,” she wrote. “I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sue Bird (@sbird10)
A post shared by Sue Bird (@sbird10)
Bird, who has spent 21 years playing in the WNBA with the Seattle Storm, has long alluded to this being her final season, but she had yet to state it officially. On The Players’ Pod, she told Kelley O’Hara that the season will “probably” be her last.
“I am pretty sure it’s just one more time. In my attempt to not pull a Tom Brady, I am leaving a tiny crack open to be sure, to be like 100 percent sure,” Bird said, referring to the NFL quarterback’s announcement in March that he was returning to play another season after previously announcing his retirement.
She’s also been vocal about the fact that the fans made her consider playing one more year after last season’s conclusion.
So far this season, Bird is averaging 7.8 points and 6.6 assists per game. Throughout her career, she’s averaged 11.9 points per game and 5.6 assists. A former No. 1 overall pick, Bird has won the WNBA Championship four times and is a five-time Olympic champion with Team USA. She also won two NCAA championships while at UConn.
The Storm are currently 9-5, having won four straight, and sit second in the Western Conference standings.