SEATTLE — In a ceremony Monday outside Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle mayor Bruce Harrell announced that the city is renaming a section of street leading up to the arena the legendary guard called home as a member of the Seattle Storm for more than two decades “Sue Bird Court.”
Bird joins longtime Seattle Mariners star Edgar Martinez and Lenny Wilkens, a player, coach and executive for the Seattle SuperSonics, as Seattle athletes to be honored with street names. Sue Bird Court, previously the conclusion of 2nd Ave. N, intersects Lenny Wilkens Way just outside the arena.
“Especially for a woman in sports, this isn’t commonplace,” said Bird, referencing Harrell’s comments about her inspirational power on young fans. “You’re starting to see it more with an example like A’ja Wilson’s statue, you’re starting to see these things celebrated. I didn’t know it was possible. That’s actually what makes this even more special.
“Now there might be a young girl who sees a street sign, or a poster, you name it, a mural and they might dream of that. That’s what makes it more special.”
Monday’s ceremony capped a busy weekend in Seattle for Bird and fiancee Megan Rapinoe, whose No. 15 jersey was retired by Seattle Reign FC during a pregame ceremony Sunday at Lumen Field. Bird previously had her No. 10 jersey retired by the Storm last June, nine months after her last game in the WNBA.
“Especially when you’re in the career, when you’re in it trying to win the thing and do the thing and accomplish the thing, you can lose focus,” Bird said. “You’re so zoomed in, then when you zoom out and take a moment or have a weekend like this where you’re celebrated, it is really special to share it with the city but then for me and Megan to share it together.”
Drafted by Seattle No. 1 overall out of UConn in 2002, Bird played her entire 19-season WNBA career with the Storm, forgoing an opportunity to return to her native New York and play for the Liberty in 2016. Teaming up with younger stars Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart, Bird subsequently won championships in 2018 and 2020, giving her four titles with the Storm — more league championships than any other Seattle team in a major professional league.
Although Bird and Rapinoe also share a home in New York City, keeping her place in Seattle is important to Bird, who joined the Storm’s ownership group earlier this year.
“I do feel like I grew up here in a lot of ways,” she said. “I doubt I’ll ever sell my home here, even if it isn’t the main home. We’ll see, TBD, but I always want to be connected. I always want to have roots here.”
Storm co-owner Dawn Trudeau, who represented the organization during the ceremony, said the team reached out to the mayor’s office about renaming a street for Bird last year and found them “excited about doing something. Then it comes down to where and when.”
Part of that process was deciding what to name the street. “Sue Bird Pass,” an appropriate designation for the WNBA’s all-time leader with more than 3,200 assists, was not an option because “pass” has a specific definition for emergency services purposes. So, a long 3-pointer away from the hardwood floor where Bird starred, fans will now be able to take Sue Bird Court to Seattle games.
“That felt right,” Trudeau said.
For the time being, the street renaming is honorary, with 2nd Ave. N remaining the official name of the stretch from Denny Way to Lenny Wilkens Way. The name change will become permanent after the mayoral ordinance is approved by the Seattle City Council, expected to happen next month.