(Reuters) – The Seattle Storm will retire four-times WNBA champion Sue Bird’s No. 10 jersey, the team said on Thursday, months after the 42-year-old called time on one of the most decorated careers in basketball.
The Women’s National Basketball Association franchise will hoist her number to the Climate Pledge Arena rafters in a pre-game ceremony on June 11, paying tribute to the former first overall pick who defined Seattle basketball over two decades.
“When Sue came to Seattle, they embraced her and obviously she embraced Seattle back,” said former team mate Breanna Stewart. “Everybody knows Sue Bird.”
The five-time Olympic gold medalist earned a record 13 WNBA All-Star selections during her career and is only the second Storm player to have her number retired after Australian three-time WNBA MVP Lauren Jackson.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
