Come As You Are Sports

Seattle, WA – On Sunday, August 17 at 10:00 a.m pst., the Seattle Storm and Climate Pledge Arena will unveil the WNBA’s first-ever statue honoring a former player — legend and Hall of Famer Sue Bird.

The ceremony at the West Plaza will include remarks from Storm leadership, WNBA legends, city officials, and Bird herself. A free fan fest kicks off at 12:00 p.m., followed by the “Forever Sue” game vs. the Phoenix Mercury at 3:00 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., and the first 7,500 fans will receive exclusive Sue Bird artwork by Seattle artist Keegan Hall. The statue was created by Julie Rotblatt-Amrany, known for iconic works of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Lenny Wilkens.

Sue Bird’s Legacy

Widely regarded as one of the greatest to ever play the game, Sue Bird’s legendary 21-season career with the Storm includes four WNBA championships, 13 All-Star selections, and the league’s all-time assist record.

Bird began her collegiate career with the University of Connecticut Huskies, playing from 1998 to 2002 and helping lead the team to two national titles in 2000 and 2002.

The highly decorated Bird is also a five-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA winning in: Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020. Bird also won the Fédération Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) World Cup championship four times with Team USA, in 2002, 2010, 2014, and 2018. She now leads the next generation of talent as managing director of the USA Women’s National Basketball Team.

Drafted No. 1 overall in 2002, the New York native has elevated women’s sports in the Pacific Northwest through her athleticism, community service, and advocacy for underrepresented voices. In 2024, she joined the Storm ownership group to further advance equity in sports. Her jersey was retired in 2023, and in 2024, a portion of Second Avenue North was renamed “Sue Bird Court” in her honor.

About the Storm and Climate Pledge Arena

The Storm franchise launched in 1999 and officially joined the WNBA in June 2000. Seattle played at KeyArena from its inaugural 2000 season until the venue closed for renovations after 2018. During the interim, the team played at Alaska Airlines Arena (2019) and Angel of the Winds Arena (2019 & 2021). In 2022, the Storm returned to the newly renovated Climate Pledge Arena—featuring the original KeyArena roof—and played their first game there on May 6.

Championships

The Seattle Storm have won four WNBA championships in the years 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020.

2025 Standings

The Storm are currently sixth in the overall WNBA standings, just behind the Indiana Fever, and third in the Western Division. The WNBA has 13 teams across two divisions—Eastern and Western—with a 14th team, the Portland Fire, set to join soon.

Fans can view schedule and broadcast info here.

*Cover photo by Caroline Anne