Between the regular season and the playoffs, Subard played 651 times for the Seattle Storm during her storied 19-year career. She played the final game of the regular season in Seattle on Sunday afternoon in the team’s 89-81 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Bird had 9 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
“Right now I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, how grateful I am,” Bird said to the crowd after the game. “Not just for today, but for all of you showing up and supporting us, for 21 years…this place is not just where I play, it’s where I call home.”
Before the game, the Storm held a moving ceremony for Bird in front of a packed audience, the largest in franchise history and the largest ever for a basketball game at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena.
Bird also received a custom ring in honor of her many accomplishments, including but not limited to four WNBA championships, a record 13 All-Star appearances, and becoming the league’s all-time assist leader.
Earlier in the day, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell also announced that Sunday would be “Sioux Day” to honor her contributions to the city over the past two decades. Part of the statement reads:
And she is one of the most honored women’s basketball players of all time, making 13 WNBA All-Stars, 8 WNBA All-NBA Teams, 5 Olympic Gold Medals, 4 World Cup Gold Medals, 2 NCAA Tournaments; and
Given that she has been an outspoken voice for change, use her influence to advocate for social change initiatives in Seattle and across the country, including LGBTQ+ rights and racial equality; and
Whereas the City of Seattle recognizes Suzanne Brigit Bird’s important contributions not only to our city and the larger community, and wishes her the best of luck in her retirement.
So, now, I, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, hereby declare August 7, 2022, Sue Bird Day.
While the Storm are locked into a playoff berth, the WNBA’s new format means it’s not only her last regular-season game in Seattle, but her last home game. The Storm are currently fighting the Washington Mystics for the No. 4 seed and first-round home-court advantage.
Under the new format, the first round will be a best-of-three series, with the higher-seeded teams hosting Games 1 and 2. If Storm ends up being the No. 5 seed, they could lose two games down the road in Washington and be eliminated from the playoffs without a home game. Of course, that’s unlikely, but the possibility makes Sunday’s game more meaningful to Bird and Storm fans.
