Sue Bird delivers last message to Seattle Storm fans at home, team loses to Las Vegas Aces

The Climate Pledge Arena had a franchise record-crowd of 18,100, as per ESPN, on Sunday as the Seattle Storm took on the Las Vegas Aces. WNBA legend Sue Bird was playing her last regular season game. 

Altough the Aces won  89-81, fans celebrated Bird. The five-time Olympic gold medalist’s family and friends, including her her fiancée Megan Rapinoe were a part of the crowd. 

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Bird said the loss brought her back to her first game on a Seattle court.

“I’m not going to lie, it kinda sucks to lose my last game here,” the WNBA star said as she addressed the crowd after the game. “But you know what? I lost my first game here too, so, it’s okay.”

She reflected on her 21 years playing for the Seattle Storm. The 41-year-old joined the side in 2002. She is the only WNBA player to win titles in three different decades.

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“I just want to say from the bottom of my heart, how thankful I am, not only for today and all of you showing up and supporting us, but for 21 years,” she said.

Sue Bird further spoke about the time when she and some teammates visited a lesbian bar in the city. 

“I saw a season ticket holder there, she came over to me, put her arm around me, she’s like, ‘Hey, I don’t know if this is the place you want to be.’ And, you know, on the outside I said, ‘Oh, okay, thanks, you know, good looking out,’ [but] on the inside I was like, ‘Oh, I know where I am,’ ” she recalled.

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“And I say that to say, she was protecting me, she was looking out for me… that right there is the epitome for how you guys have cared for me.”

Bird said while the day was recognition of her, it was also recognition of the players and coach she played with through her career and the accomplishments of the franchise.

“I think today was yes, an honor in honor of me and people showed up, showed out for sure. It really was amazing,” Bird said. “But I think it’s really, truly a celebration of Storm basketball because I am kind of Storm basketball.”