Without question, Sue Bird made an impact in the WNBA throughout her career. Me, I’ve loved Bird ever since she played at UConn, where she won two national championships. What’s more, she’s the reason I became a Seattle Storm fan because the point guard won me over. In my eyes, she’s my forever GOAT (maybe a bit of bias but I stand firm on that). Hence, seeing her play her final game ever hit different.
Bird and her final playoff run
The Storm entered this year’s playoffs with the fourth-best record at 22 – 14. They faced Elena Della Donne and the Washington Mystics in the first round. Overall, Bird averaged 14 points, six assists, and shot 50 percent from beyond the arc in Seattle’s sweep of the Mystics. Next, she and the Storm faced A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces in what had the feel of a WNBA Finals matchup.
The former UConn guard dished out 12 assists as Seattle won Game One of the series. However, Las Vegas showed its dominance, winning the last three games of the series. In her final WNBA game, Bird had eight points and eight assists, but it wasn’t about the stat line that night in Climate Pledge Arena. When the clock hit zero that game, it’d be Bird’s swan song.
All things considered, it overshadowed the Aces winning the series. Everyone in the crowd and those watching at home recognized the moment. At that moment, we saw greatness one last time as time stood still. All of her accomplishments came rushing back to the minds of many.
Whether it was winning five Olympic gold medals, four WNBA titles, or being a 12-time WNBA All-Star, Bird is a legend. While we still have a champion to crown in this year’s playoffs, we cannot forget a true champion in Bird. In closing, thank you, Sue, for everything my forever GOAT.
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