UConn Legend Sue Bird Gets Exclusive Honor From Seattle Storm
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Former UConn Huskies star Sue Bird had a legendary career, and her former WNBA team, the Seattle Storm, made sure to honor her properly. After winning four WNBA titles and earning 13 All-Star nods in her WNBA career, all with the Storm, Seattle unveiled a bronze statue of the former Huskies point guard outside Climate Pledge Arena.
“People keep asking me what it feels like to be the first,” Bird said in a speech during the statue's unveiling. “The truth is that I never set out to be the first at anything, but if being the first means I won’t be the last. If this statue means that 20 years from now there will be statues of other WNBA greats, some who are in the audience and players whose names you don’t even know yet, then I’m proud to be the first.”
The StatSue 🤩 pic.twitter.com/14KOciLsEJ
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) August 17, 2025
Even though Sue Bird is best known as the WNBA’s all-time assists leader, her statue shows her driving for a layup, a choice she made to symbolize the journey of her entire career.
”My very first points in the WNBA at KeyArena as a rookie were on a layup. My very final points in the WNBA were at Climate Pledge on a layup,” Bird said. “Not really known for those layups, but it’s something that means a lot to me.”
The 8-foot statue, weighing 650 pounds, was created by artist Julie Rotblatt-Amrany of the Rotblatt Amrany Studio. Her portfolio includes sculptures of Seattle icons Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Lenny Wilkens, which stand near Bird outside Climate Pledge Arena. Bird also had input in the design, selecting the pose, the jersey, and the Nike Air Zoom Huarache sneakers she famously wore during her first Olympic gold medal run and WNBA championship in 2004.
Sue Bird was joined by fellow former UConn stars to celebrate her WNBA legacy
Diana Taurasi and Swin Cash, Bird’s former UConn teammates, traveled in for the celebration, while Huskies coach Geno Auriemma sent his well-wishes through a social media video.
Auriemma added a lighthearted joke, saying he hoped pigeons would go easy on the new statue.
From Sue's UConn family 💙 pic.twitter.com/2oIL5ItfHo
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) August 17, 2025
Bird laughed off the idea. She told the crowd that if anyone spots bird droppings on her shoulder, they should think of it as family stopping by to remind her of home.
The Seattle Storm made history by becoming the first WNBA team to honor a former player with a statue. Since Sue Bird’s retirement in 2022, the franchise has also retired her No. 10 jersey and even renamed a street near Climate Pledge Arena in her honor.
At the ceremony, Cash spoke about Bird’s impact beyond the court.
“Greatness is not just in the numbers for me, though she has plenty of those," Cash said. "It’s not just in banners and trophies and gold medals, though she has enough of those, too. Greatness is the way you change the air in the room, the way you change the air in the arena, the way you change the air in the community. For the city of Seattle, Sue is not just a player, she’s family."
While this is a milestone in Bird's storied carrier, the recognition doesn’t end after this. This September, Bird will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, with Auriemma and teammate Cash presenting her at the ceremony, bringing her UConn legacy full circle.
Evan Dammarell is a credentialed, award-winning sports journalist who has covered the Cleveland Cavaliers and the NBA for nearly a decade right off the shores of Lake Erie. His work has appeared on Forbes, ClutchPoints, SBNation, FanSided, Heavy, The Locked On Podcast Network, and Right Down Euclid, among others. Evan is committed to his vision to go beyond the scores and so much more so that every fan can always keep up with what’s going on with their favorite teams on and off the court.
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