Sue Bird becomes first WNBA player honored with a statue

Seattle – During a ceremony before the Seattle storm organized the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday, the former legendary goalkeeper Sue Bird became the first player of the WNBA honored by his franchise with a statue outside of Climate hires Arena.

“People continue to ask me what it is to be the first,” said Bird during his speech. “The truth is that I have never decided to be the first to do anything, but if being the first means, I will not be the last, if this statue means that in 20 years, there will be statues of other big WNBAs – some who are in the public and the players whose names you do not even know yet to be the first.”

Few players, if necessary, have done more to deserve the recognition than Bird, who spent his entire WNBA career at two decades with the storm, playing most in Keyarena before the building was rebuilt and reopened as a climate engages Arena for the final campaign of Bird in 2022.

During this period, Bird led Seattle to four WNBA championships, linking the most by any franchise. She also retired as a leader of all time in the League in the matches and minutes that played as well as assists, making a record of 13 stars appearances. However, like the other speakers (including Triple MVP and his longtime teammate Lauren Jackson) have stressed it, Bird’s career cannot be reduced to statistics or titles alone.

“We can have this basketball conversation,” said the temple of the Swin Cash renown, who joined Bird both to win two national titles in Uconn and the 2010 championship with Seattle. “Greatness changes the game. Greatness evolves. The size remains and has longevity. And that’s what Sue A.”

Certainly, nothing has longevity like a statue. And this is why for all the honors that Bird received since the end of his career, in particular the storm which withdraws his jersey n ° 10 in 2023 and the street outside the climate was renamed “Sue Bird Court” last summer – with an enthronement to the Naimemith Memorial Hall of Fame which takes place later this year – Bird said that this moment is distinguished.

“I don’t know if” honor “even covers it,” she told journalists, “because it is a bronze statue that will be there forever. It’s different when you think about it.”

The statue, created by Roblatt Amrany Studio Sculptor Julie Rotblat-Amrany, presents birds making a lay-up in a pose similar to the silhouette that appears on the climate engages short. After examining the presentation options of a pass or one of its brand traction sweaters, Bird found a symbolism in the lay-up.

“A funny little fact about my career that perhaps some of you know, maybe not,” said Bird. “My first points in the WNBA in Keyarena as a recruit were on a lay-up. My very last points of the WNBA were at Climate Engage on a lay-up.”

Bird helped supervise the details of the statue, which represents it with Nike Air Zoom Huarache sneakers. Bird wore these shoes while winning his first Olympic gold medal and the first storm championship, both in 2004.

“The process was interesting and really fun,” she said. “It was so incredible, every time I went to the studio to enter – it’s weird to see each other in the form of a clay – but it was like each little adjustment, it’s more and more of me until I was below and I said to myself:” Oh, it’s my nose. Oh, it’s definitely my hair. “” “

In memory of Bird, the word of a statue started seriously after the third storm championship in 2018, before increasing in volume when Climate Pledge opened its doors before its last season. After retirement, Bird began to believe that it would come true.

Other WNBA players, including A’ja Wilson des Las Vegas Aces, have been immortalized with statues in their university homes. Bird is the first outside a WNBA arena, as well as the first female athlete in the city of Seattle.

The Mariners of Seattle of Major League Baseball have statues of the Ken Griffey renowned temple, Jr. and Edgar Martinez and recently announced his intention to add a third statue for Ichiro after his recent enthronement. And Bird joins the player, trainer and long -standing executive from Seattle Supersonics, Lenny Wilkens, whose statue outside the nearby climate was revealed in June.

“There are simply not many women who are honored in this way, and we have tons of men,” said Bird. “I am really very proud and honored, especially in the city of Seattle, to be with these other male athletes. These are elite, elite athletes and I am really proud to be in the same breath as some of the grown -ups who have passed here, but even more proud to be the first WNBA player.”

To conclude her speech, Bird stressed that she would never have imagined this honor when she arrived in Seattle as a n ° 1 choice of the 2002 WNBA draft at 21.

“I came to Seattle as Sue Bird the basketball player while leaving for Sue Bird The Seattleite,” she said. “This statue will ensure that a piece of me stays in this city forever, just as this city will always be part of me. And when you inevitably see a little bird’s poop on the shoulder, do not worry. Consider that the family register and remember where the house is.”