Sue’s city: Seattle retires Birds iconic #10 in emotional ceremony
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – The greatest athlete in Seattle sports history has put the final cap on her career, finalizing it as her iconic number ten jersey has been raised to the rafters inside of Climate Pledge Arena. With one of the best resumes in all of sports history, Bird has finally put the period on it and was finally fully given her flowers and commemorated for the effort, time, and memories poured into the 21 years of basketball she played. With numerous people from Bird’s career in attendance, Sue’s ceremony lasted longer than the game that the Storm played before it, nearly half an hour longer. It’s only right, though, that Seattle could give Bird the nearly three hours of their time, after she dedicated 21 years of her life to this city.
“I think the story of my early career, even maybe into my early WNBA days, it’s kind of like you always, like I always knew I was good or people always knew that I was pretty good, but I don’t think anyone myself included could have imagined this; my family could have imagined this, my friends could have imagined this. Even coming out of high school, I think I was in the top 20. But like, I don’t know, maybe 20. It wasn’t like I was the number one recruited kid or the number one in the class or anything like that. Never could have imagined it.”
“A little bit, yeah. I think that’s why I wanted to make sure I thanked those that I want to thank because this does feel like the last time. Obviously not the last time I’ll be in the building, or the last time I’ll be around, anything like that. But the last time as a player right now, I’ll just be a former player. In some ways, it does feel like closure. That’s not really the word I would use because I am going to be around and I feel very much still apart even if I don’t have an actual jersey or basketball shoes on. But this did feel like the last thing, you know? Because even last year during the final season, there were all these different moments throughout, it was like the never-ending retirement. And this one, I think today, and the fact that my jersey is in the rafters, is kind of like a period End of sentence, on to the next.”
Star studded attendance
The ceremony saw Seattle royalty pack the seats inside of Climate Pledge Arena, from Bird’s former teammates and coaches, friends, other Seattle sports legends, and others like current and former Mayors of the city. The main people to speak outside of Bird herself, who finished off the ceremony, included former teammates Swin Cash and Lauren Jackson, former head coach Jenny Boucek, and partner Megan Rapinoe amongst others. They all shared different stories about Bird and her career, recapping what made her great on and off the court. Over the course of those 21 seasons with the Storm, Bird had countless teammates and numerous coaches, leaving her mark on them all in addition to everyone she met along the way.
Former Seattle Storm head coach (2003-2005, 2010-2017) Jenny Boucek took her turn to speak about Bird, and perhaps the most memorable moment from Boucek’s speech was about a story that displayed Bird’s care and dedication to those that she had loved. Following Boucek’s time with the Storm as an assistant, she had joined the Sacramento Monarchs as their head coach after a year between gigs. After two years with Sacramento, Boucek was fired during the season. Bird, aiming to get some retribution for her former coach and friend, dropped 20 points and six assists in a win over the Monarchs the next game that the Storm played against Sacramento. After the game, Bird sent Boucek a four-word text: “That was for you,” displaying that Sue always had the backs of those who she cared for, even if they weren’t currently on her team.
“As on time and on target as her passes are, so are her words. Straight from the heart.”
Former teammate Swin Cash, who arguably has the coolest name in basketball history, shared some excellent stories about Bird while also taking the time to jab her in the process. Cash and Bird had a ton of playing time together throughout the course of their careers, which started in college at UCONN. Cash recounted how Bird helped her set up her first email account, the competitive nature of Bird and how she displayed it even in practice sessions, mentioned a special nickname for her, how the Syosset, New York born point guard made Seattle her forever home. Cash’s recollection of stories about Bird was perhaps the funniest of the day, while also showcasing the sort of champion that she was as a player on the court and in life.
“Believe it or not, Sue was the first person to help me set up an email.”
“If you messed with Sue’s ponytail during a game? Oh lord, I’ll pray for you.”
“She never changed. The winning didn’t change her, when more eyeballs got on her, when she started dating Megan and fell in love... the only thing that’s changed is that she’s let the world in a little more.”
“When she had opportunities to leave Seattle, she STAYED for Seattle.”
“If you’re a young player trying to play today, you need to watch a lot of Sue Bird film.”
Lauren Jackson, the second-best player in franchise history and that’s no slight to LJ, had an emotional speech as the one who was arguably the closest with Bird. The two helped Seattle to their first two championships in franchise history, which bookended a rough stretch of first round playoff exits. With Jackson’s #15 already up in the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena, it’s only fitting that Bird’s #10 has now joined her and reunited the two in history. Jackson shared stories of when the two first met, emphasized the sort of player and basketball mind that Bird was, and a recent ChatGPT search she had. While she admitted to being emotional about the speech that she went on to deliver, it wouldn’t truly be a ceremony for Sue Bird without having Lauren Jackson speak.
“When I first met Adia Barnes, I thought she was Sue... I don’t know why, I thought she was going to be taller.”
“I’m pretty sure she coached every coach that we ever had.”
“There is nothing I can say about her that will give or do her justice.”
“I asked ChatGPT the most important position in basketball, it said point guard. I thought it was power forward or center, I guess I was wrong... Being that you are the greatest point guard of all time... that makes you the true greatest of all time.”
“Sue’s legacy to Seattle, to [USA Basketball], to the WNBA and to our beautiful game is one that I don’t think will ever be matched by anyone.”
The last to speak before Bird took the podium, that had a silhouette of her on it, was her partner Megan Rapinoe. A legendary athlete in her own right, Rapinoe knows what it takes to reach that certain level of stardom, and the two complete one of (if not the) greatest athletic power couple of all time. As someone who has spent the most time with Sue since they began dating, Rapinoe knows the most what Bird has been like since retiring, and was able to give everyone an idea of what Sue has been up to since her final game. An emotional Rapinoe shared truth, honesty, and praise for what Bird has done as a human and a little bit on the court. Considering how close she is with Bird; Rapinoe was a perfect choice to co-host the ceremony and hearing her speech was the right choice to go before Bird herself.
“It’s about how much you care, how much you love these people, your family... you’ve poured your whole self into them for so long.”
Rapinoe had mentioned how stressed and anxious that Bird had been in the week leading up to this day, but there didn’t seem to be much of those sorts of feelings once the ceremony began. Bird has never tried to be the center of attention, always seemingly trying to avoid that such spotlight, but today she was able to fully embrace it. As the different speakers went through their speeches, Bird appeared to be embracing the praise and words to let them truly sink in. In the building/site that she made so many memories in, located in the city she’s come to call her own, surrounded by friends, family, and fans that adore her so much. Bird accepted the flowers that she was being given, both literally and figuratively, to close the book on the basketball chapter of her life.
“I’m blown away by it. I keep joking, it’s this experience is, I don’t mean this morbid, but some people think it’s like a wedding and a funeral in one this weekend. Because a wedding in that you’re seeing all these people you don’t get to see all the time, you’re trying to soak it all in up in this one moment. And the funeral part is, not to joke about funerals, but the funeral part is the things that they’re sharing about you and just what they’re expressing in terms of what the relationship was with whoever it was that was speaking and myself, what they see in me or what they saw in me or what their experience was with me. I mean, that’s very rare that you get to have these these types of moments. It was really special for everyone who spoke to hear what they had to say. And then of course, for Lauren to fly out here with her son, that’s a big big trip. It’s just so meaningful. The one thing I really wish I would have said, it just kind of escaped me, was how amazing it’s going to be to be in the rafters, yes, but it’s going to be even more amazing being next to her (Lauren Jackson).”
Moments from Sue Bird’s jersey retirement ceremony (Photos by Mathew Bermudez)
Bird’s ballad of thanks
After her former friends, teammates, and others that had known her were finished with their speeches, it was finally time for Bird to take the podium and let out the emotions and stories that she’d been stressed about all week leading into today. While the many who spoke before her went over their respective allotted time, Bird herself topped it by having her seven-page speech span the length of an hour and a half. In a ceremony dedicated to her and her playing career, Bird recapped nearly all of that said career. Beginning with her time playing basketball in the fifth grade and how a security guard got her autograph back then, all the way through her final year. Sue Bird made sure to thank essentially all of the coaches, family members, teammates, and others that impacted her career and made it what it was. Sue highlighted everybody that had put their piece into the puzzle of Bird’s career, making sure that she shared the recognition with them.
“DAMN. Where is that? That’s so far!””
“We were so different, but the perfect complement to each other. ”
“Jewell and Stewie are like one person... you two came into my life, my basketball life. What gifts for this old, aging point guard to play with these two talented balls of dumb clay.”
“I LOVEDDDD playing with you Jewell... I never played with a guard like you... you were on another level.”
“The bubble was where we, as a league, created change. That’s what this league is... You’re going to see more of it. That’s not going to stop.”
Sue Bird raised a replica of the retired jersey banner atop the iconic Space Needle on June 9th, two days before the ceremony (Photos courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Long ceremony for a long career
Bird’s retirement ceremony went nearly three hours as the speakers went over the requested “three-five” minute marks put in place by those organizing and Bird herself who spent an hour and a half reliving her career and thanking those who helped her make her career what it is. While it’s obviously an incredible amount of time that folks spent in their seats at Climate Pledge Arena, lasting longer than the game itself and by comparison longer than Michael Jordan’s first retirement speech, Bird has more than earned that time from Seattle. Spending 21 years of her life in this city, bringing it four titles and becoming the most decorated and greatest athlete in its history to this point.
“I walked in the back with my family and was like, ‘was that too long?’ My sister was like, ‘you played here for 21 years. They can they can listen to you for an hour.”
Bird has played a huge role in the basketball scene in Seattle, let alone the game of basketball worldwide. Bird has left her mark on the league, making the WNBA better on and off the court, doing so while representing the Emerald City the entire time. An ambassador of the game and of equality on several levels, Bird has proven to be an incredible person and player. To say that she earned the amount of time that she and her ceremony took is an understatement. Pay your respects to the greatest of all time, there will never be another like Sue Bird.
“I probably should have, because then maybe I could have like tightened it up a little bit. I obviously went through it a little bit with Megan, just kind of like ‘hey, this is like the timeline, people I want to hit.’ You know, all that stuff. I didn’t anticipate it being that long. But the truth is, I don’t know that I could have taken anything out, you know? That’s what this has meant to me. It was just so important for me to say names, to point people out and to tell them what they’ve meant. I’m already thinking of things I wish I would have said. That’s just really what my career has been here. It really goes beyond the basketball court. It almost has nothing to do with basketball in so many ways. The connection I have with the city, with the fans, with this franchise, and again, like I said out there, to reiterate what they’ve given me. I feel like a lot was made of what I have given them in my final year. But I really just wanted to emphasize what all the people I named have given me and what I’ll take.”
Sue Bird and the artist of her mural witness the final product unveiled on June 9th, two days before her jersey retirement ceremony (Photos courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
The new wave witnesses greatness
It’s no secret that this current Storm team is brand new in a lot of ways, whether it’s the rookies on the roster or the veterans that have been brought in to institute the new era for the franchise. The four rookies on this roster, and many others on this roster, have looked up to Bird as her career went on and having this ceremony was probably a lot for some of the new faces that haven’t been around the legendary point guard. A moment like today, with all the emotion and magnitude that surrounded it, could impact some and their mindset throughout the course of the day.
“No, I don’t think it was that. I mean, probably just for this group. It could have been that we just weren’t locked into our game plan. I think initially we were good, but you’re right. Maybe with some, there was some nerves and the understanding of the magnitude of this moment in this day. But I didn’t think that it was that. Moreso just the communication aspect and the focus.”
“It’s different, it’s different. I miss a lot. Like not miss, like I miss it. Meaning like I miss things like a play will happen. I’m like, okay, I didn’t see it. And then like where’s the Jumbotron? You miss a lot, sitting in those seats because people are talking to you. I’m not in the game as much as I usually am when I’m on that court, right? I don’t know what the game plan is. I don’t know what they’re doing on pick and rolls or what you know, so it’s like I’m not as in it... I miss it. I miss being in the know, I miss being a part of all that. But, it’s also really enjoyable to just be a fan. To know I did my time and now I get to watch the next generation.”