Sue Bird is a basketball legend and household name in the United States. The Seattle Storm point guard is a four-time WBNA champion and the all-time assist and career start leader in the WNBA. She is also a five-time Olympic gold winner and a member of four World Championship-winning US teams.
With so many honors, it’s difficult not to compare Bird to her NBA counterpart, Larry Bird, often known as “Larry Legend” or “the Great White Hope.” Are the two Birds related, aside from their love of basketball?
Who is Sue Bird?
Sue Bird, whose real name is Suzanne Brigit Bird, was born in Syosset, New York’s Nassau County. Herschel and Nancy Bird are her parents. She has an older sister named Jen as a sibling. The original family name of her father’s Russian-Jewish grandparents was “Boorda”. Her paternal grandparents and Jewish father have also granted her citizenship in Israel since 2006.
Nonetheless, she competes internationally on behalf of her own United States. Since being selected as the top pick in the 2002 draft, Sue Bird has represented the Seattle Storm and assisted the group in winning four WNBA championships.
Between 1998 and 2002, she studied communications and performed at the University of Connecticut. She won Division I Player of the Year in 2002, and her UConn teams won two national titles. According to ESPN, Bird, at 41, is the most seasoned player in WNBA history to record a double-double during a postseason. Bird announced on Twitter in June 2022 that she would retire at the end of the current season.
I’ve decided this will be my final year. I have loved every single minute, and still do, so gonna play my last year, just like this little girl played her first ☺️ #TheFinalYear @seattlestorm pic.twitter.com/Uo2YqCCKUD
— Sue Bird (@S10Bird) June 16, 2022
Is Sue Bird Married?
Sue Bird is engaged to Megan Rapinoe, an American professional soccer player who has achieved international notoriety for her work for equal rights. Rapinoe was the first openly homos*xual woman to appear in a Sports Illustrated cover story.
The couple has been dating since fall 2016, and they met during a 2015 media meeting ahead of the Rio Olympics. Bird and Rapinoe are set to marry in October 2020.
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In Which College Did Sue Bird Attend?
Bird attended the University of Connecticut from 1998 to 2002, where she also studied communications, she told ESPN. She was the first choice in the 2002 WNBA draft after graduating. Her UConn teams won two national titles, and she was named Division I Women’s Player of the Year in 2002.
Who is Larry Bird?
Larry Joe Bird is a former professional basketball player and coach from West Baden Springs, Indiana. He was born on December 7, 1956, to Georgia and Claude Joseph “Joe” Bird, and has five siblings. When Larry was a senior in high school, Georgia and Joe got divorced, and Joe committed suicide not too long after.
Larry embraced basketball as a means of escaping his familial issues. He averaged 31 points, 21 rebounds, and four assists while playing for Springs Valley High. as a senior who was headed to become the school’s highest scorer ever.
As one of the greatest players in NBA history, Larry Bird has continued to build during her 13 seasons with the Celtics. In 1992, Bird retired and moved into an office at Celtic. He joined the Indiana Pacers as their head coach in 1997, and after his first season, he was awarded coach of the year.
He left his role as head coach of the Pacers in 2000 and was appointed president of basketball operations in 2003. Only a few weeks after taking home the Executive Award of the Year for the previous season, he announced his resignation from the Pacers front office in June 2012.
Is Sue Bird Related to Larry Bird?
Sue Bird isn’t related to former NBA star Larry Bird, despite their common surname. The Celtics Hall of Fame forward was a member of the team from 1979 to 1992. Following his retirement from basketball, the Celtics retired his legendary number 33 jersey. Sue Bird said in an interview that she used to lie about being Larry Bird’s niece when she was younger.
Bird told WNBA, “Since I’ve been five, people asked me if we’re related. It is usually the third question in a line of questions. What’s your name? Sue Bird. Oh, what do you do? I play basketball. Are you related to Larry Bird? That’s how it goes.”
If you want to know more about Larry Bird then must check out the links below:
- Is Larry Bird Still Alive? A Living Basketball Icon or a Fading Star!
- Who is Larry Bird Wife, Dinah Mattingly? How Did The Couple Meet?
In conclusion, Sue Bird, a basketball legend, has left an indelible imprint on the game, with multiple accomplishments in the WNBA and on the international scene. Her collaboration with Megan Rapinoe illustrates her dedication to equality and social progress.
They are not related, despite sharing the surname “Bird” with NBA legend Larry Bird. Sue Bird has also revealed amusing experiences about being asked since childhood if she is related to Larry Bird.
