Sue Bird

She became the all-time leader in three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage, second in assists and steals, and contributed to a formidable 114-4 team record. Bird’s exceptional talent led to her selection as the first overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm, launching an unprecedented 19-season professional playing career. Her immediate impact with the Storm led to her first WNBA championship in 2004. Bird established herself as one of the most decorated players in WNBA history, clinching four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) and becoming the only WNBA player to win titles in three different decades.

Her individual accolades include 13 WNBA All-Star selections, five All-WNBA First Team honors, and three WNBA regular-season assist titles. Bird holds numerous league records, including the all-time leader in assists, career starts (580), and career games played. Internationally, she saw significant success with Russian teams like Dynamo Moscow, Sparta&K, and UMMC Ekaterinburg, earning five Russian National League and five EuroLeague Women championships. Unparalleled in international representation, Bird earned five Olympic gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020) and four FIBA World Cup gold medals (2002, 2010, 2014, 2018), making her one of only two Olympic basketball players of either gender to win five golds.

In 2024, she joined the Seattle Storm’s ownership group, and in 2025, she was named the first managing director for the USA Basketball women’s national team. Her extraordinary career will be further celebrated with 2025 inductions into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, and LGBTQ Sports Hall of Fame. Seattle further recognized her impact by renaming a street ‘Sue Bird Court’ near Climate Pledge Arena in 2024 and commissioning a bronze statue, set to be unveiled in front of the arena in 2025.