My Sue Bird Tribute: A Monument of Excellence
Covering Sue Bird’s career has been one of the great joys of my professional journey. I had the privilege of interviewing her multiple times, most memorably in 2014 at the USA Basketball Training Camp in Annapolis. I remember how, even then — more than a decade into her pro career, Bird carried herself with the energy of a rookie eager to prove she belonged, while commanding the respect of everyone in the gym as the veteran leader she was.
Now, she’s immortalized as the first WNBA player with a statue. Amazing. I’m eager to visit Climate Pledge Arena in the near future to take a selfie in front of the towering bronze figure, frozen in mid-stride, which honors legacy and resilience.
Watching her operate up close was a reminder of why she has always been special.
What struck me most about Sue Bird’s career was how timeless her game felt. Proving that age is just a number and a state of mind, she played with a grace and intensity that stood the test of time, like a fine merlot that got better with age and wisdom.
I can still picture her zipping around the court, orchestrating possessions with precision, leading the league in assists in her mid-30s, and elevating everyone around her. She always told me her focus was never on numbers but on winning, on sparking her teammates, on fueling the game’s joy. That selflessness was the foundation of her greatness.
I also saw firsthand the resilience that defined her. I covered her comeback after she sat out the 2013 season with knee surgery. Lesser players might have faded, but Bird returned sharper, wiser, and even more determined. I still recall her saying that time away forced her to observe and learn the game in new ways. That adaptability is what made her not just great, but enduring.
And the moments she gave us? Unforgettable. I’ll never forget watching her ankle-breaking move against Australia at Madison Square Garden. She unleashed a SportsCenter Top 10 play that had the crowd roaring. Years later, her fourth-quarter masterpiece against Diana Taurasi and the Mercury in the 2018 semifinals reminded me again that Sue always had another level when her team needed her most.
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As a writer, I’ve always admired how closely she remained connected to her Long Island roots. A Syosset, New York native and UConn legend, she always spoke fondly about trips back east, reconnecting with family and hearing from fans who thanked her for her impact. She received those thanks with humility, never losing sight of the bigger picture.
To me, Sue Bird has always been more than just her statistics and accolades. Yes, she is a 13-time All-Star, an eight-time All-WNBA selection, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, and a four-time WNBA champion. But covering her showed me she was also a mentor, a role model, and an ambassador.
What I’ll remember most, though, is her mindset. Bird never took a possession off. Even when she was named one of the 15 greatest WNBA players in history, she still played like someone fighting for a roster spot. I think that’s what made covering her so rewarding because she showed us that humility and hunger can coexist with greatness.
One day soon, she’ll be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and the basketball world will celebrate her contributions. But for me, the tribute has already been written in the privilege of watching her, covering her, and asking her questions over the years. Sue Bird is not just one of the greatest to ever play — she’s one of the greatest ever to lead, and I’m grateful I had a front-row seat to her story.
Bird’s former UConn and Storm teammate, Swin Cash, said it best when she spoke during Bird’s statue unveiling ceremony.
“In a circle of friends as we’re talking about greatness, you think about what defies greatness,” Cash shared. “Is greatness in the eyes of the beholder? Is it in the body of work, the influence, the impact, and yes, the winning that you leave behind. But when I think about Sue, she answers all of it. Every single thing, she answers all of it. Greatness is not just in the numbers for me. Though she has plenty of those. It’s not just in banners and trophies and gold medals, though she has more than enough of those, too.
“Greatness is in 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. It’s in the way you lift your teammates. You inspire a city. You show young girls and young boys what’s possible when excellence meets longevity.”
Mic drop.
Thank you for the memories.
