Sue Bird

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Sue Bird

Sue Bird (middle) is welcomed to Washington, D.C. in 2002 by Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd
Position	Guard
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	175 lb (80 kg)
Team	Seattle Storm
Nationality	United States
Born	October 16, 1980 (age 26) Syosett, New York
College	University of Connecticut
Draft	1st overall, 2002 Seattle Storm
Pro career	2002 – present
Awards	All-WNBA First Team (2002-2005) Four-time WNBA All-Star

Suzanne Brigit Bird (born October 16, 1980) is a professional women's basketball player. A high school star from Christ The King RHS, she went on to become a key part of the national champion University of Connecticut team, the first player to be picked in the 2002 WNBA Draft and an Olympic gold medalist. She currently plays for the Seattle Storm in the WNBA. She is not related to NBA legend Larry Bird.

Bird was born in Syosset, New York. Her father, Herschel Bird, is of Russian Jewish descent and her mother is Nancy Bird. Her older sister, Jennifer, was a fine High School-level basketball player. The original family name was “Boorda”.[1]. Bird acquired in 2006 the Israeli nationality.

Contents 1 University of Connecticut 2 WNBA 3 International career 3.1 Europe 4 External links

[edit] University of Connecticut

Bird gained renown while playing as the starting point guard for the University of Connecticut women's basketball team from 1998 to 2002, and led them to NCAA titles in 2000 and 2002. While playing for the Huskies, Bird was feared most as a three-point shooter, and also at the free throw line, where she averaged over 90% of her free throws in her sophomore and senior seasons. At the conclusion of her college career, she was named the Naismith Award winner and College Player of the Year in 2002.

[edit] WNBA

Bird was named the first pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft to the Seattle Storm and was also the first point guard to be picked first in the league's history. In her rookie season, she led the Storm to their first playoff appearance, and was also named a starter to the WNBA Western Conference All-Star team, and was a member of the All-WNBA First team at the conclusion of the 2002 season. She was second in the team in scoring (14.4 ppg), led in assists (6 apg), steals (1.6 spg), and in three point shots (57). She and teammate Lauren Jackson form one of the league's most electric one-two punches, drawing frequent comparisons to the Utah Jazz's John Stockton and Karl Malone.

In the 2003 season, Bird suffered a minor knee injury that kept nagging her the entire season, but she still led the team in assists (6.5 per game), steals (1.4 per game), and three point shots (49 total). She was once again named as a starter to the All-Star Team and was named to the All-WNBA First Team for the second time. The Seattle Storm, however did not make the playoffs.

The Storm had a strong 2004 season that led them to the playoffs. In the 2004 WNBA playoffs, Sue Bird averaged 8.5 points and 5.3 assists and overcame a broken nose in the conference finals series to help the Storm win their first ever WNBA Championship.

Sue Bird is one of six women to receive a Gold Medal, an NCAA championship, and a WNBA Championship. The others are Ruth Riley, Sheryl Swoopes, and fellow Huskies Swin Cash, Rebecca Lobo, and Kara Wolters.

[edit] International career

In the 2003-2004 off-season, Bird was named to the United States 2004 Women's Olympic Basketball Team's core roster. She was the youngest player on the core roster of nine players.

In the 2004-2005 WNBA off-season, she played in Russia, with Storm teammate Kamila Vodichkova on the Dynamo Moscow. In the 2005-2006 WNBA off-season, she played on the same team, reaching the Russian championship and the Euroleague women’s playoffs.

[edit] Europe

• 2004-2006 : ŽBK Dynamo Moscou
• 2006-2007 : Spartak Moscow Region

Preceded by Ruth Riley	Naismith College Player of the Year (women's) 2002	Succeeded by Diana Taurasi
Preceded by Jackie Stiles	Wade Trophy winner 2002	Succeeded by Diana Taurasi

Women's National Basketball Association | WNBA's All-Decade Team
Sue Bird | Tamika Catchings | Cynthia Cooper | Yolanda Griffith | Lauren Jackson | Lisa Leslie | Katie Smith | Dawn Staley | Sheryl Swoopes | Tina Thompson Ruthie Bolton | Chamique Holdsclaw | Ticha Penicheiro | Diana Taurasi | Teresa Weatherspoon (Honorable mention)

[edit] External links

• U.S. Olympic Team bio
• WNBA.com profile