Tag: Sue Bird

Seattle legend Sue Bird to raise 12th Man Flag

Seattle legend Sue Bird to raise 12th Man Flag

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One of the most time-honored traditions in Seahawks history is the raising of the 12th Man Flag in the South Endzone before home games. It is usually by a former player, a local celebrity, or a Seattle sports legend. In Week 1 against the Broncos, former Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright had the honors.

To kick off Week 3, the Seahawks are sticking with local sports legends with Sue Bird to raise the flag.

For twenty years, Sue Bird was not only the face of the Seattle Storm, but establishing a legacy of one of the best WNBA players of all time. Bird finally retired this fall, but her legacy will be in the collective memory of Seattle fans for decades to come.

Sue Bird finishes her professional basketball career as the WNBA’s all time assists leader and 7th all time in scoring. Bird claimed four WNBA championships, five Olympic gold medals, and four FIBA World Cup titles.

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Chelsea Gray is having one of the most incredible playoff runs ever for the Aces

The Las Vegas star is doing things we’ve literally never seen.

Welcome to Layup Lines, our daily NBA newsletter where we’ll prep you for a tip-off of tonight’s action, from what to watch to bets to make. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every afternoon.

In case you missed it, the Las Vegas Aces advanced to the WNBA Finals on Tuesday night with a Game 4 win over the Seattle Storm. They overcome a halftime deficit and 42(!) points by Breanna Stewart to earn the 3-1 series victory and put a bow on the legendary career of Sue Bird, who had her own awesome moment.

At the center of it all was point gawd Chelsea Gray, continuing what has truly been one of the greatest playoff runs in WNBA history. Reminiscent of her Game 3 overtime heroics, Gray hit clutch bucket after clutch bucket in the fourth quarter, including the 3-pointer that broke a tie with around one minute left and the next basket to push the lead to five with 30 seconds left.

Gray finished the game with 31 points on 13-of-22 shooting, six rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first player in WNBA history with 30 points and 10 assists in a playoff game. And that’s just the tip of what she’s doing this postseason.

Through six games and two series, Gray is averaging 24.0 points on 62.6% shooting from the field and 59.5% from three. She’s also averaging 7.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals. No one has been that efficient while scoring that many points and averaging that many assists in the short history of the W. According to The Sporting News, her 74.7 effective field goal percentage would be the highest of any player to average 20 points in a postseason.

All this is coming from Vegas’ fourth-leading scorer during the regular season! Now, the Aces await the winner of Game 5 between the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun on Thursday. And with a large thanks to Gray, they look very much the part of the favorites they’re supposed to be.

The Tip-Off

Some NBA goodness from around the USA TODAY Sports network.

Federico Gambarini/dpa via AP

The WNBA playoffs aren’t the only hoops action happening right now. The group stage of EuroBasket 2022 is nearing a conclusion, and Luka Doncic put on an absolute show Wednesday against France to clinch the top spot in Group B for Slovenia.

His 47 points were the most in a EuroBasket game in 65 years. The 3-pointer that gave him 45 came over the outstretched arms of Rudy Gobert (who got him back later with this massive dunk). But the highlight of the game was an unbelievable one-handed three Doncic hit over Gobert in the first half.

And before you go calling it luck, my colleague Bryan Kalbrosky wrote that it’s not the first time the Mavericks star has pulled this off:

“Doncic, who scored 22 points in the first 14 minutes of the game against France, finished the first half with 27 points on 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-8 from beyond the arc.

None were more impressive than the one-handed, running fadeaway jumper that he hit as the shot clock expired. It’s almost too much to comprehend.

But one aspect that makes it easier: Doncic has made a similar shot before. During his final game for Real Madrid before declaring for the 2018 NBA Draft, he made a comparably unfathomable field goal.”

Hey man, Doncic was already a problem. But if he’s gonna start making one-handed, running threes, we can all just pack it up.

Shootaround

— Speaking of Slovenia, one of the team’s players was injured on a tip-off after landing on a ref.

— NBA 2K23 ratings are beginning to leak out, and Klay Thompson made it clear he’s NOT happy about his 3-point rating. Kevin Durant simply wants to know why he’s not a 99.

— Bronny James shared some pictures of himself in Ohio State’s uniform, and fans loved it.

— Check out this awesome story of why people wear those tie-dyed Lithuanian basketball shirts at Grateful Dead shows.

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13 awesome photos of Sue Bird during her final game as a WNBA player

The game of basketball will miss you, Sue Bird!

Nearly three months ago, Sue Bird, the greatest point guard in WNBA history, let the world in on a not-so-shocking secret — the 2022 season would be the final of her storied 19-season career.

The farewell tour came fast and went even faster on Tuesday night when the basketball community witnessed the end of one of the greatest careers in the history of professional sports. Las Vegas Aces eliminated the Storm from the postseason on their home court with a 97-92 victory in the WNBA Semifinals.

Wearing her No. 10 Seattle Storm jersey for the last time, Bird made her exit off the hardwood to an overwhelming amount of cheers from the Seattle fans. The send-off and the moments that both preceded and succeeded it are ones we’ll remember forever.

We present to you the best photos of Sue Bird’s final game day as a WNBA player.

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The basketball world showered Sue Bird with love after her final game and it was so awesome

Sue Bird got the sendoff she deserved from Storm fans after her final game

Sue Bird definitely didn’t go out the way she wanted to.

The Seattle Storm couldn’t eke out just one more win against the Aces in Game 4. Breanna Stewart’s 42 points weren’t enough to overcome 31 points and 10 assists from Chelsea Gray along with A’ja Wilson’s 23 points and 13 rebounds. The star-studded performances were everywhere on Tuesday night.

But when the final buzzer sounded, at least for a moment, it didn’t feel like any of those numbers mattered anymore. The series was over, and so was Sue Bird’s career.

Bird announced that this would be her final season at the beginning of the year, no matter where it ended. She didn’t win her final game, but she may have gotten something a bit sweeter.

After the final buzzer when things were all said and done and Bird, waved goodbye to her fans.

She did her final interview and everyone erupted in “Thank you, Sue,” chants. And, immediately, the emotions flared up for Bird.

“It has been my honor to play for this franchise, for these fans. I mean, I don’t know what else to say.” 

What a moment, man. A very well-deserved sendoff for a future Hall of Famer. Soon after, everyone showed Bird love, from some of her peers to her fans and everything in between.

The internet kept the party going.

Warriors’ Steph Curry reacts to Sue Bird’s final WNBA game

After Sue Bird played her final game on Tuesday, Steph Curry chimed in on Twitter with a message for the WNBA legend.

Tuesday marked the end of the road for a basketball legend.

After spending a 20-year career in the WNBA, Sue Bird played her final game on Tuesday when the Seattle Storm met the Las Vegas Aces in the semi-final round of the playoffs.

The 41-year-old point guard announced she would retire from the game at the end of the 2022 WNBA campaign. On Tuesday, the Aces eliminated the Bird and the Storm with a 97-92 victory in Game 4.

Following the contest, Bird was showered with praise and special chants from the Seattle crowd at Climate Pledge Arena. “Thank you, Sue” cheers reigned down from the crowd as Bird went through an emotional postgame interview.

Via @SportsCenter on Twitter:

Following Bird’s send-off, Steph Curry chimed in on Twitter with a message for the future Hall of Famer.

Via @StephenCurry30 on Twitter:

The former No. 1 overall pick out of UConn was a four-time WNBA champion and a 13-time All-Star. Bird is also the league’s all-time leader in assists, with 3234 career dimes.

Bird finished her final game with eight points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 shooting from long-distance with eight assists and a steal in 36 minutes. 

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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NBA 2K23: Ratings revealed for 5 highest-ranked rookie players

The ratings of five rookie players have been unveiled ahead of the launch of NBA 2K23 on Friday.

2K Sports on Tuesday offered a glimpse of the first batch of ratings for NBA 2K23 with the incoming class of rookies among those revealed prior to the official launch on Friday.

The latest iteration of the popular video game will feature Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker on the cover of most editions. Hall of Famer Michael Jordan will grace the cover of two special versions while legends Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi will be on the “WNBA” edition.

J. Cole will serve as the cover star on the “DREAMER” edition.

The ratings of several players have been released recently, while some categories, such as the top shooters and dunkers, were also unveiled. The ratings for each rookie will be known on Friday when the game is live on all platforms.

Rookie Wire took a look at the five highest-rated first-year players.

Megan Rapinoe attended Sue Bird’s farewell game, then scored a goal hours later

The OL Reign star pulled some double duty on a day when her partner Sue Bird was celebrated

Megan Rapinoe had herself a busy Sunday.

The OL Reign forward managed to attend the final career home game of her partner Sue Bird, then scooted across town to make it in time for OL Reign’s match just hours later.

Not only did Rapinoe play for OL Reign, but she started and scored her first goal of the season in an ultimately losing effort against the Houston Dash.

It was quite the feat given the two games started just three hours apart. The Seattle Storm tipped off at noon local time at Climate Pledge Arena, while OL Reign’s match started at 3 p.m. just about three miles down the road.

Rapinoe could be seen greeting Bird in the tunnel on the way out for warm-ups, then was on the court taking pictures as a sellout crowd honored the point guard as she gets set to end an illustrious 21-year pro career.

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – AUGUST 07: Sue Bird #10 of the Seattle Storm kisses her fiancee Megan Rapinoe before her last regular season home game of her career against the Las Vegas Acesat Climate Pledge Arena on August 07, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

According to the Seattle Times, Rapinoe managed to stay at the game until halftime before she made her way to Lumen Field.

Rapinoe got OL Reign on the board with an early goal, but Houston struck back with a brace from Ebony Salmon to ultimately prevail 2-1.

“You can’t help but be in awe, be grateful, honestly, to be able to witness such an athlete like that and for it to be my girlfriend is extra special,” Rapinoe said after the game of Bird. “I’ll try to dust off this really horrible [loss] for what will undoubtedly be a great celebration tonight, but this one stings a little bit.”

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Seahawks fans react to Russell Wilson getting booed at Storm game

Wilson’s Broncos will visit the Seahawks Week 1 on Monday Night Football.

WNBA legend Sue Bird is calling it a career, having played nearly 20 years, making 13 All-Star teams and winning four championships with the Seattle Storm. Bird played her last game yesterday at Climate Pledge Arena. She goes out as the greatest athlete in Seattle history and a lot of people gave her shoutouts on social media as well as a video tribute during the game, including some Seahawks.

One of the well-known athletes who shared a message for Bird was former Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Apparently when his image came on-screen at the game, he got booed by the fans in attendance. Here’s how Seattle fans are reacting.

Wilson’s Broncos will visit the Seahawks in Week 1 on Monday Night Football. It will be interesting to see what the reaction is at Lumen Field. Odds are no matter how it goes most Seattle fans will be missing Wilson a great deal by midseason.

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Warriors’ Jordan Poole makes appearance at Storm vs. Lynx game

Wearing a Sue Bird jersey, Jordan Poole was in attendance for the Storm vs. Lynx game on Wednesday.

While soaking up the offseason, Jordan Poole is still making stops on his NBA championship tour. On Wednesday, the Golden State Warriors breakout guard made an appearance at the Climate Arena in Seattle for the Seattle Storm’s WNBA contest against the Minnesota Lynx.

Poole sat courtside while wearing a Sue Bird No. 10 Storm jersey. With Poole in attendance, the Storm ran away with an 89-77 victory over the Lynx. Following their win on Wednesday, the Storm improved to a 20-12 record on the season.

Four-time WNBA All-Star Breanna Stewart led the Storm with a game-high 33 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the field with four made 3-pointers along with eight boards, five assists and two steals in 31 minutes.

Bird added 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor with six dimes and four rebounds in 26 minutes for the Storm.

Below is a look at Poole sitting courtside at the game on Wednesday.

Via @seattlestorm on Twitter:

Via @WNBA on Twitter:

Via @espnW on Twitter:

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! 

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Sue Bird joins Gotham FC’s investment group

Gotham’s investment group adds one of the biggest names in women’s sports

NJ/NY Gotham FC has added WNBA legend Sue Bird as a new minority investor.

Gotham announced the move Friday, just one day after a Sportico report said the club would bring Bird and former NFL quarterback Eli Manning aboard as investors, and that the transactions placed a $40 million valuation on the club. Manning’s status was not addressed by the team at this time.

“As the NWSL franchise in New York, investing in Gotham FC was an easy decision,” said Bird in a club press release announcing the move. “The club has demonstrated sustained business growth and is established as a critical pillar in the community. There is a lot of talk about the power of investing in women’s sports. As an athlete in a position to invest, I’m excited to now lead by example. I am honored to join such a strong ownership group and look forward to the continued business growth and brand recognition for both Gotham FC and the NWSL.”

Bird, whose longtime partner Megan Rapinoe plays for OL Reign, joins team investors that include ex-USWNT great (and former Gotham player) Carli Lloyd, along with Karen Bryant, Kristin Bernert, Ed Nalbandian, and Thirty Five Ventures, a venture capital firm run by NBA star Kevin Durant and his business manager Rich Kleiman. Gotham’s principle owners remain Tammy Murphy, New Jersey governor Phil Murphy, and Steven Temares.

“Sue has played such a big role in shaping today’s WNBA and bringing it to the forefront in so many important cultural conversations,” said Tammy Murphy, who remains Gotham’s Club Chair. “She’s shown tremendous leadership, passion, and work ethic throughout her legendary career, and I cannot wait for her to bring those qualities to Gotham FC.”

Gotham described Bird’s role within the investor group as that of a “consultant and advisor to boost the club’s profile in local, national, and international markets.”

Bird is the latest big name from outside the soccer world to invest in an NWSL club. After Angel City FC’s initial ownership group included actress Natalie Portman and tennis icon Serena Williams, NWSL has seen big names from a wide range of fields invest in its teams, including Dominique Dawes, Chelsea Clinton, and Jenna Bush Hager (Washington Spirit), Naomi Osaka (North Carolina Courage), and ESPN personality Sarah Spain (Chicago Red Stars).

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