WNBA Legend Makes Heartfelt Statement on Storm's Sue Bird

Diana Taurasi showed support for Sue Bird.

Jan 27, 2020; Hartford, Connecticut, USA; 2020 USA Womens National Team guard Sue Bird (6) (left) and 2020 USA Womens National Team guard Diana Taurasi (12) before the game against the UConn Huskies at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Diana Taurasi was in attendance for Sue Bird’s statue reveal ahead of the Seattle Storm-Phoenix Mercury game this past weekend.

Although the Team USA teammates had a WNBA rivalry on the court, Taurasi was proud to see Bird make history for the league on Sunday, as the retired guard became the first WNBA player honred by a franchise with a statue.

"No one deserves it more than Sue," Taurasi said at the event. "No player, no city. What she's done for Seattle and the love that they've shown back, that's what sports is about. Loyalty. Competition. And Sue does all of that.”

“That’s what sports is about. Loyalty. Competition. And Sue does all of that.” 🧡

From one best friend to the other, Diana Taurasi shares what Sue Bird’s statue, that she has deemed the “ultimate one up”, means to the city of Seattle! pic.twitter.com/dDVUxg4a64

— WNBA (@WNBA) August 17, 2025

Bird and Taurasi battled it out nearly 50 times throughout their career in the W. When Taurasi entered the league as the first pick of the 2004 WNBA Draft, she spent 18 seasons as a direct competitor to Bird and the Storm.

Throughout a 20-year career, Taurasi earned 10 All-Star nods, averaging 18.8 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game in over 560 matchups.

A competitor like Taurasi often joked about trying to get one-up on Bird throughout their careers. Bird has the bragging rights now, but she’s confident that Taurasi will be on the same level soon enough.

“[I got the advantage] until she gets hers,” said Bird with a smile. “The only time we tried to talk about one-ups was like over bowling. I can’t imagine a world where she doesn’t get a statue. I’ll enjoy having this ‘one-up’ while it lasts.”

Although Bird is the first with a statue in the WNBA, she is confident that this is just the beginning. During the legend’s speech on Sunday, Bird simply felt honored to be one of hopefully many more to come.

Aug 20, 2016; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; USA guard Diana Taurasi (12) and USA guard Sue Bird (6) celebrates after beating Spain in the women's basketball gold medal match during the Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-Imagn Images / RVR Photos-Imagn Images

“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,” Bird said, according to ESPN.

“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.”

"There's just not a lot of women that are honored in this way, and we have tons of men," Bird added. "I'm actually really proud and honored, especially in the city of Seattle, to be with those other male athletes. Those are elite, elite athletes, and I'm really proud to be in the same breath as some of the greats that have come through here but even more proud to be the first WNBA player."

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