J-Speaks: Bird's Final Regular Season Home Flight

Back in June, the Seattle Storm’s future First Ballot Hall of Fame lead guard announced that this season would be her final one in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Since then, every arena that the Storm has visited and each home game after was one of celebration and thanks to a player that has given her heart, soul, and determination to the game both on and off the hardwood. Both in the “W” and on the international stage representing Team USA and overseas. On Sunday, Storm nation got their chance to give their starting floor general some much well-deserved thanks and gratitude for her over two decades of excellence as a basketball player and most important of all as a person.

“Thank you, Sue,” was what the record-setting crowd of over 18,000 chanted at Climate Pledge Arena at the start of this week after WNBA legend Sue Bird played on her home floor in front of Storm nation for the final time this regular season.

The native of Syosset, who has been a part of the Storm franchise for 21 of its 23 seasons of existence, capturing four WNBA titles along the way with her at the head of the snake announced her plans to retire at the end of this season back in June.

Bird, who was chosen No. 1 overall by the Storm in 2002 out of the University of Connecticut was honored in a pregame ceremony ahead of the Storm’s 89-81 (21-13) defeat versus the No. 2 team record wise in the WNBA the Las Vegas Aces (24-10) on Sunday afternoon on ABC.

“I just made a joke. I heard that ‘Thank you, Sue,’ chant. I was like thank God it was not a one more year chant,” Bird, who had nine points and six assists in the loss said in her postgame thank you to those in attendance at CPA.

“Right now, 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,” Bird, who registered nine points and six assists in defeat said in addressing those in attendance. “You all supported me from the start. I mean listen. I’m not going to lie it kind of sucks to lose my last game here but you what? I lost my first game here too so, it’s okay. You guys supported me from day one.”

“Twenty-one-year-old kid. Had no idea what the city was about. I found out very quickly. You supported me. You watched me grow up.”

The celebration of Bird began before tip-off when the public address announcer for CPA announced the year in which she was selected by the Storm as mentioned in two decades ago. Spending here entire WNBA career in the Pacific Northwest, going on to become one of the greatest players in the history of the “W” behind 13 All-Star selections and leading the Storm to four WNBA titles (2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020) and hopefully adding one more this upcoming postseason.

Bird’s professional career resume also includes being an eight-time All-WNBA selection (Five-time First Team and Three-Time Second Team selection). Is the league’s all-time leader in assists and games played. Is a member of the WNBA’s 10^th, 15^th, 20^th, and 25^th Anniversary squads. She is the WNBA’s all-time leader in career assists and games played at 3,222 and 578 respectably and counting. Bird is also No. 3 in WNBA all-time in career steals (719) and No. 7 in points scored (6,793) and counting. If she scores 19 points in the final two games of this season, she will pass former Mercury, New York Liberty, Chicago Sky, Aces, and Indiana Fever star guard and WNBA champion Cappie Pondexter into the No. 6 spot on the “W’s” all-time scoring list.   

The 215 career wins at home the Storm have had with Bird in the lineup in the three arenas they have called home are the most in WNBA history by a player at a single arena.

On the international stage, Bird helped lead the Women’s USA National team to five Gold Medals at the Summer Olympics in (2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Tokyo), making her along former UConn teammate and three-time WNBA champion of the Phoenix Mercury Diana Taurasi as the only two players, man, or woman, to win five Olympic Gold Medals. On top of that, Bird helped lead Team USA to four Gold Medals in their five appearances at the FIBA World Championships.

Four-time Kia MVP, three-time NBA champion, 18-time All-Star, and two-time Olympic Gold medalist of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James tweeted on Sunday during the game on Sunday, “Seattle was rockin’ today for Sue Bird’s last home game! I may have to make a trip up there before summer’s out and get a run in!”

Bird also had success overseas in helping five Russian teams she played on (Kamila Vodichkova on the Dynamo Moscow in 2004-05 and UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russian League from 2011-14) to reach the top of their league’s mountain capturing five Russian National League titles (2007, 2008, 2012-14) as well as a five-time EuroLeague Champion (2007, 2008, 2012-14).  

Before she put her imprint on the WNBA, Bird, began her run of success on the hardwood first at Christ the King Regional High School in Queens, NY following her freshmen and sophomore years at Syosset High School. Bird led the Maroon and Gold Royals to a 51-3 mark, which included a perfect 27-0 mark in her senior year leading the Catholic school to a New York State title and the National championship.

She would add to her success at the University of Connecticut helping head coach Geno Auriemma and the Lady Huskies to national titles in 2000 and 2002. The 2001-02 title team went a perfect 39-0 in Bird’s senior year, where she won the Lily Margaret Wade Trophy, the Honda Sports Award, and the Naismith Award as College Player of the Year.

 

Bird added to the Huskies total of National titles of 11, which began in 1995 led by Hall of Famer and WNBA and Women’s College Basketball analyst for ESPN/ABC and co-host of “Ball and Chain” podcast Rebecca Lobo, who was on call of Bird’s last home game on Sunday with Ryan Ruocco for ABC.

Before tip-off between the Aces and Storm, a video message was played of Coach Auriemma praising Bird on her amazing basketball career.

Before she thanked the audience at CPA for their support of her over two decades in a Storm uniform, Bird said that she did not prepare anything for a grand moment of this magnitude and that there is nothing you can do to prepare for the amount of love and appreciation she received on Sunday afternoon.

Back when Hall of Famer and the other half of the Storm’s dynamic duo in Lauren Jackson, who along with Bird led the Storm to their first two of four WNBA championships, Bird said that she had three pages of what she wanted to say.

“This is not going to be that just yet. I’m sure I’ll be back to roast everyone I’ve ever played with. That’s a guarantee.” Bird said.

Bird during her thank you remarks said how two years into her Storm tenure, her teammates wanted to go to the famed Wild Rose, which she attended with them and met up with a Storm season-ticket holder there. That lady came over to Bird, put her arm around her and said, “I don’t think this is the place you want to be.”

On the surface, Bird was taken back and said, “Oh, okay. Thanks. Good looking out.”

Inside as a competitor and someone who won at the first two levels of playing basketball, high school and college, Bird said in addressing that part of the story to the audience, “Oh, I know where I am,” which got a loud approval from the CPA audience.

Bird mentioned this as that fan/season-ticket holder saying that she was being protective of her. She was looking out for Bird, even though they did not know each other. That moment for Bird was the epitome of how she and every fan of the Storm cared and that she hoped she returned that from how she played each time she took the hardwood win, lose or draw. The nights when she took the floor and had nights where she was exceptional to other nights where her floor game was not on the mark in terms of turning the ball over, which at times led to some colorful and profane remarks from the those in attendance when the Storm played at Key Arena, Alaska Airlines Arena, Angle of the W and now Climate Pledge Arena. The nights when the CPA crowd screamed for her to shoot more, with the loss to the Aces being one of those nights, she said.

During a break in the action on Sunday, a young fan in her appreciation of Bird gave her a flower and before she got the ball on the inbounds from the referee as play was about to resume, Bird ask the young fan if she could hold that flower for her?

WNBA studio and color commentator for ESPN LaChina Robinson said on Monday’s edition of ESPN’s “NBA Today” of what Bird’s legacy that she is “an icon.”

Fellow ESPN WNBA and NBA analyst and sideline report Monica McNutt, who played for the Georgetown Lady Hoyas (2008-11) said the first thing that comes to mind about Bird’s amazing career is her “longevity.”

McNutt also mentioned how the likes of Bird; future Hall of Fame quarterback of Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tom Brady, who has seven Super Bowl titles to his name and the previously mentioned James who “lull” us into believing that “winning” is the expectation and the standard for what makes a great career.

While the high amount of winning titles is a major compliment to the body of work of the careers of the likes of Bird, James, and Brady for instance, McNutt said that we as fans and watchers of these great athletes should “ever be lulled to sleep” how difficult it was for the likes of Bird, James, and Brady to put themselves in position to become perennial champions. That is especially true for the Storm, who were just in their infancy when Bird arrived and had to work overtime to build themselves into now four-time WNBA champs.

Bird has played her entire 21-year WNBA career for one franchise and poured her heart and soul into it day-by-day, game-by-game, practice-by-practice.

Matt Barnes, who played in the NBA for 14 seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers for two stints (2004, 2014-15), Sacramento Kings for two stints (2004-05; 2016-17), New York Knicks (2005), Philadelphia 76ers (2005-06), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Orlando Magic (2009-10), Lakers (2010-12), Memphis Grizzlies (2015-16), and Warriors (2017), where he won a title said he “can’t imagine” still hooping right now like Bird, who like her started playing professional basketball in 2002.

“The 21 years alone—if she didn’t have any other accolades, to play at the highest level a game can give you for 21 years and always be a main contributor, I mean, that’s amazing,” Barnes, who was drafted No. 46 overall by the 76ers 20 years ago said on Monday.  

“She’s been one of my favorite players since she’s come in the game and just really a salute to the longevity. The way she’s carried herself on and off the court.”

To put into perspective the kind of maintenance Bird has been able to maintain during her 21-year WNBA career with the Storm, she has had a remarkable group of individuals behind the scenes that have worked with her to keep her upright to have the sustained level of success.

That team consists of Susan Borchardt, Bird’s enhancement specialist. Melony Cable, who administer, acupunctures for Bird when needed. The Storm’s chiropractor Dustin Williams. Team USA’s athletic trainer Ed Ryan. Bird’s longtime doctor, Dr. Michael Erickson. Brooke Tyler, Bird’s Pilates instructor. Dr. Michael Joyce, who has performed all of Bird’s knee surgeries. Ashley Besecker, Bird’s nutrient specialist. Dr. Susan Kleiner, her sports nutritionist. That maintenance team also includes Brittanie Vaughn, Emily Burton, Erica Nash, and Abby Gordon.

This group that worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help Bird play at this amazing level her entire career, especially after she turned 30 are people she sought out and as Rowe mentioned during Sunday telecast “redefined” how athletes are working to maintain their high level of play.

Building the championship culture that the Seattle Storm has built was not an easy task and getting back to the top of that championship mountain the next three times after 2004 was as monumental of a task as well.

In the years that followed their 2004 title over the Connecticut Sun, the Storm lost in the WNBA Semifinals three times to the Los Angeles Sparks 2-1 (2006. 2008, and 2009); to the Mercury and Taurasi in 2007, on their way to their first of three WNBA titles won in a seven-year span; and to the now debunked four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets in 2005.  

After winning their second title in 2010, sweeping the Atlanta Dream 3-0, the Storm lost to the Mercury again in the Semis 2-1 in 2011. They lost the next two postseasons in the Semis to Minnesota Lynx, 2-1 in 2012 and were swept 2-0 in 2013, on their way to their second of four WNBA titles in their history. In 2014 and 2015, the Storm finished 12-22 and 10-24 respectively, missing out on the WNBA playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since their first two seasons of existence (2000, 2001) and in three of their first four seasons in the “W.”

The Storm reached the playoffs in 2016 and 2017 behind Bird and back-to-back No. 1 overall picks in now four-time All-Star; 2015 Rookie of the Year fellow Olympic Gold medalist Jewell Loyd in 2015 out of University of Notre Dame and 2018 WNBA MVP, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist in Breanna Stewart out of UConn.

After single-game elimination First Round exits at the hands of the Dream in 2016 and the Mercury in 2017, the Storm led by Bird, Loyd, and Stewart got back to the WNBA Finals in 2018 and took down the Washington Mystics 3-0 to win their third WNBA title in franchise history.

Their championship reign would conclude the next season at the hands of the Sparks in the Second in a single-elimination tilt after taking down the Lynx the previous single-elimination contest. 

The Storm would climb back to the top of the WNBA mountain taking down the Aces and then league MVP A’ja Wilson in the 2020 WNBA Finals in Bradenton, FL 3-0 to win their fourth WNBA title in their history.

“Sue, she’s paved the way. She was my teammate in the [2020] Olympics. I’m glad I had the opportunity to play alongside her, “Wilson, who had 29 points and six rebounds on 13/24 shooting said to Rowe after the win about playing alongside Bird during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “She’s someone that has laid the foundation for this franchise [Storm] and the things that she’s brought together is incredible.”

“So, I just really have to thank her and you know, give her, her flowers. She’s well overdue for them.”

That reign as champions would also conclude one year later in the single-elimination game of Second Round again at the hands of Taurasi and the Mercury.  

While Bird has been the constant of these four titles the Storm have won, she has had help from some dynamic and clutch players along the way.

The 2004 title squad was led by Bird and the aforementioned Jackson, Betty Lennox, Sheri Sam, Tully Bevilaqua, and current head coach of the University of Arizona Lady Wildcats Adia Barnes.

The 2010 title squad was led by Bird and Jackson; Hall of Famer, fellow Lady Husky, and current Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development of the New Orleans Pelicans Swintayla “Swin” Cash; Camille Little; first-year head coach of the Dream Tanisha Wright; and Atlanta, GA native and assistant coach of the Dallas Wings Le’Coe Willingham.

The Storm's roster deeper and more talented across the board when they won it all in 2018 behind the star power of Bird and the aforementioned Loyd and Stewart, Quinn, and now two-time All-Star Natasha Howard and Sami Whitcomb, both now with the New York Liberty. Alysha Clark, now with the Mystics; Jordan Canada, now with the Sparks. Crystal Langhorne, Courtney Paris, Mercedes Russell, still with the team and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis.    

A lot of that same cast was a part of the Storm’s last title two seasons back with star triplets of Bird, Loyd, and Stewart and the supporting cast of Clark, Howard, Langhorne, Whitcomb, Canada, Russell, and Langhorne. That team also had veteran guard Epiphany Prince, who is currently on the team now along with Russell. This season’s Defensive Player of the Year candidate Eziyoda “Ezi” Magbegor, fellow Lady Husky Morgan Tuck, now the Director of Franchise Development for the Sun.

Loyd at the 2022 WNBA All-Star game in July in Chicago, IL called her future Hall of Fame teammates Bird a “generational player.”

“I wouldn’t be in the same spot in my career without Sue,” Loyd added about her longtime teammate.

Bird also got some well-deserved praise for her amazing WNBA career from eight-time WNBA All-Star, two-time WNBA champion and future Hall of Famer of the Minnesota Lynx Sylvia Fowles who said that Bird “set the foundation work” for any point guard that wants to come play in the WNBA.

“If you want to admire your game after somebody, watch Sue,” Fowles added.

Bird also got praise from the three All-Stars of the defending WNBA champion Sky in fellow future Hall of Famer and two-time WNBA champion and NBA on TNT Tuesday studio analyst Candace Parker, Kahleah Copper, and Courtney Vandersloot.

“A true point guard,” is how Copper described Bird.

Vandersloot said that you “have to be at the top of your game” when playing with Bird, adding that her fellow point guard’s IQ is “off the charts” and that she’s a “winner.”

Parker said that she respects Bird for “utilizing her voice” to stand up for the things that she believes in has been “huge” for the present and future of the WNBA as well as the “future” for women’s basketball.

2022 All-Star Game MVP of the Aces Kelsey Plum described Bird on the court as someone that’s like a “computer” playing basketball, whose “two steps” ahead of everyone else on the court, whose able to see things before they happen.

“It’s hard to not smile when you talk about Sue,” Plum added. “It’s just been an honor to be able to play against her in this league. And I’ll cherish the memories that I have.”

Mercury All-Star guard and fellow teammate on the Gold Medal U.S. 2020 Women’s Olympic squad Skylar Diggins-Smith echoed those same sentiments saying Bird as “coach on the floor” who knows when to take the game over and is always “two to three moves ahead.

“She’s honestly the shoulders that we stand on along with a lot of the legends of this league,” Diggins-Smith added. “To be where we’re at today. When she’s done, she should still be a part of this in some sort of way. Trying to grow the game and just trying to grow opportunities for women everywhere.”

WNBA champion, former WNBA MVP, and President of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) Nneka Ogwumike simply called Bird “an icon” the WNBA.  

Ogwumike added that Bird’s legacy will be of that of “being on the right side of things” and has set the “blueprint” for what it means to be an “athlete and advocate” in a very big space that requires a high level of determination and concentration.

Along with winning titles with many different teammates, with Bird being the only constant, she has also won these four titles playing under four different head coaches. The first title won in 2004 was under the sideline leadership of late Women’s Basketball Anne Donovan, who coached the Storm from 2003-2007 and became the first woman in the “W” to lead a WNBA squad to a title as well as the youngest person to coach a WNBA title squad at age 42.

The Storm’s sideline leader for their second title in 2010 was Brian Agler, who coached the team from 2008-2014, also serving as their General Manager.

After being coached by now assistant coach of the Indiana Pacers Jenny Boucek (2015-2017), who was an assistant on the coaching staff of the Storm’s title squad in 2004, the Storm were led by former head coach of the now debunked Cleveland Rockers and San Antonio Stars, who are now the Aces Dan Hughes from 2018 to the early part of the 2021 season.

Hughes did not coach the Storm the year they won the title in 2020 opting out of the league’s season in as mentioned Bradenton, FL due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Storm were led on the sidelines that season by long time WNBA assistant coach Gary Kloppenberg, who is currently with the Indiana Fever.

Coach Hughes returned to the team the following season but stepped down six games into the season and his predecessor was former Storm guard for two stints (2013-14; 2016-18) and current head coach Noelle Quinn, who also played with the Lynx, Sparks, Mystics, and Mercury during her 11-year WNBA career (2007-2018). Quinn started her coaching career in the “W” as an assistant on Hughes’ staff in 2019, rising up to associate head coach for the next season-plus before taking over for Hughes as head coach of the Storm the next 26 games into 2021 season to now.

While Bird has been the epicenter and the constant of the Storm’s championship and winning culture since her arrival a little over two decades ago, the Storm do not have the four WNBA titles they have amassed without the four amazing head coaches, the solid assistant coaches, and the ancillary players that she has had along with incredible journey.

The hope is that Bird can add one more title to that amazing legacy that she has help to build with the help of Loyd, Stewart, and Coach Quinn, and a supporting cast of Prince, Magbegor, Russell, Stephanie Talbot, former fellow Lady Huskey and former WNBA MVP Tina Charles, and veteran guard Briann January, who will also retire at the conclusion at the end of this season after an a 13-year professional career that has seen her play in the “W” for the Mercury, Sun, and Fever, where she won a championship in 2012 alongside Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and coach Dunn. January, a current assistant coach at Arizona State University has also played overseas for the Tarsus Belediyesi (2009-10), Raanana Hertzeliya (2010-11), Elektra Ramat Hasharon (2012-13), Maranhao Basquete (2013-14), Adana ASKI SK (2014-17), and Sopron Basket (2019).  

“But I know every single player that has come through this franchise has felt your love. Has felt your support. I am feeling it right now. I can’t even tell you how amazing this whole season has been. This moment has been. We’re not done. We’re definitely not done,” Bird said.

As important as the players have been as well as the coaches have been in Bird’s career with the Storm, the assemblance of the players and coaches alongside Bird that have made the Storm into the four-time WNBA champions that they are would not have been possible without the just as exceptional ownership group of Force 10 Hoops LLC of Alisha Valvanis, the President and CEO of the Storm and Karen Bryant.

Bird also shouted out the person who drafted her in 2002 in basketball coaching legend Lin Dunn, the Storm’s first head coach and General Manager and the current special assistant to head coach Kyra Elzy of the University of Kentucky Lady Wildcats. She also shouted her three former head coaches in the aforementioned late Donovan, Agler, Boucek and Hughes, who were on hand for Bird’s final regular-season home game. Coach Noelle was not on hand because she just entered virus protocols and the Storm have been led on the side lines by assistant coach and former head coach of the Chicago Sky and Fever Pokey Chatman.

Bird said there will come a time when praise will be given to a live audience of everyone one that was instrumental to the success that she had in her basketball career. In this moment though, she did want to “acknowledge” certain individuals from those aforementioned coaches and members of the front office that allowed her to thrive on the hardwood but allowed her as she said to “be myself.”

“It took me a minute to figure out who I was. But once I did, I was alright. And you allowed me to do that,” Bird said to the audience who responded again with a thunderous screams and applause.

“Through a player’s career, there’s always opportunities to leave and this place is not only where I played, its where I call home.”

Along with what Bird has accomplished on the hardwood in the WNBA, overseas, and for Team USA, she has also made an impact off the court.

Back in the 2020 season when all 12 teams had their season as mentioned in Bradenton, FL because of the previously mentioned COVID-19 global pandemic, Bird and her Storm teammates along with many other players in the league stood up in unison against then Dream Governor and U.S. Senator from Georgia Kelly Loeffler (R) wrote a public letter in objection to the players wearing shirts with “Black Live Matter” and “Say Her Name” in protest of minorities, especially African American women being treated differently by those that are supposed to protect them like the police.

Her comments led to some players calling for her removal from ownership of the Dream and in August 2020, players from the Dream and several other members of the other 11 WNBA teams wore “Vote Warnock” T-Shirts in their support of Loeffler’s challenger Rev. Raphael Warnock (D).

Warnock defeated Loeffler in a special election in early January 2021 and his victory as well as the win by the Democratic challenger Jon Ossoff (D) over incumbent Senator David Perdue (R) gave Democrats control of the U.S. Senate because the Democrats won the Presidency in 2020 with former U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) becoming our Vice President through former Vice President Joe Biden winning the Presidential race over incumbent Donald Trump, which gave the Democrats the tiebreaking vote on all legislation that comes from Capitol Hill.

Back in July 2017, Bird came out as a lesbian and revealed that she had dated soccer superstar and fellow Olympic Gold medalist Megan Rapinoe. A year later, Bird and Rapinoe became the first same-sex couple to be on the front cover of ESPN The Magazine’s “Body Issue.” The couple announced that they were engaged on Oct. 30, 2020 and earlier this year were included in the 2022 Queer 50 list.

A little over two decades ago when the Seattle Storm entered the WNBA, they were in search of a leader, who could represent their franchise well both on and off the court. Someone who could have a reach that put their franchise on the map. In 2002, they selected No. 1 overall Suzanne “Sue” Brigit Bird to be their face and she through her determination, grit, competitive spirit, and drive put the Storm on the map and established a championship culture that will have staying power moving forward upon her retirement at the close of this season.

The hope is that close to her career comes with a fifth WNBA title, which will likely begin the middle of next week at home against the Mystics.  

“We’re not done. We’re definitely not done,” Bird said of the Storm’s quest to win the ultimate prize over the next few weeks.

Regardless of whether that dream of another WNBA championship becomes a reality, what is a reality is that Sue Bird has left a lasting impact on not only the WNBA, not just on the sports landscape but on the world. She was unapologetically herself. She never cheated the game. She put her best foot forward both on and off the floor. She found her voice. She found her success. She found her comfort zone. She found love in soccer star Megan Rapinoe.

More than anything, she made everyone around her better from her teammates, coaches and front office of the Seattle Storm and continued the tradition of the sport of basketball being the center sport of that community, especially after the departure of the Seattle Supersonics after the 2007-08 NBA season.

Bird also said that even after her playing career ends, after this season, she plans on still being around for the Storm franchise and the fans that have supported her over the past two decades.

“I’m going to be courtside every season. I’m going to be cheering this team on giving them the support they deserve,” Bird said. “I’ll always support this franchise no matter what, so it’s really not a goodbye.”

There will a time very soon where Bird will be acknowledged and given her flowers in a major way by the sport of basketball when she is enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as well as the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and a couple of other Halls of Fame along the way. She will have her No. 10 jersey retired by the Storm and at UConn.

Those enshrinements and acknowledgements will come hopefully with Sue Bird being introduced as a five-time WNBA champion, which the Storm hope to make a reality with her leading the way in the 2022 WNBA Playoffs beginning most likely against the 2019 WNBA champion Mystics (20-14), who are currently the No. 5 Seed.

While Bird said in concluding the postgame festivities that she did not have that “Mamba Out” moment in reference to the 60-point performance the late great Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant had in his final NBA game back in 2016, she concluded things by saying to the fans in attendance at Climate Pledge Arena (CPA) and those watching at home on ABC, “I love you. Thank you so much. And I’ll see you in the Playoffs.”  

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 9/2/2021 www.forbes.coms story, “Retired WNBA Star Morgan Tuck Is Just Getting Started Changemaking With The Connecticut Sun,” By Howard Megdal; 8/7/2022 3:30 p.m. ABC “Las Vegas Aces versus Seattle Storm” WNBA on ESPN, presented by Google with Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, and Holly Rowe; 8/7/2022 “The Athletic” story, “Sue Bird Plays Final Regular-Season Home Game For Seattle Storm;” 8/8/2022 3 p.m. “NBA Today” ESPN 2 With LaChina Robinson, Matt Barnes, Jamal Collier, Monica McNutt, and Marc J. Spears; 8/10/2022 6:30 p.m. NBATV’s “WNBA Weekly” With Kristen Ledlow and Angel McCoughtry;   www.basketball-reference.com;
https://www.basketball-reference.com/wnba/players/p/pondeca01w.html; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UConn_Huskies_women%27_basketball; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LeBron_James; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Barnes; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvia_Fowles; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly_Loeffler; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Storm; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Seattle_Storm_season; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Seattle_Storm_season; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Seattle_Storm_season; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Seattle_Storm_season; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Seattle_Storm_season; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_WNBA_Finals;  
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briann_January; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewell_Loyd; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pokey_Chatman; 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breanna_Stewart; http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lin_Dunn; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Donovan; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Agler; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Boucek; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Hughes_(basketball); https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Kloppenburg; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sue_Bird.