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Q&A: Sue Bird on being a fan favorite
By Kari Lydersen // usolympicteam.com // August 18, 2004
After a stellar career at the University of Connecticut (UConn) and playing professionally for the Seattle Storm, Sue Bird joins the Olympic team where she will likely back up veterans Dawn Staley and Shannon Johnson. According to NBC, this is only a taste of things to come as she is likely to be a starting point guard in the 2008 Olympics. Bird was the first overall draft pick in 2002 for the WNBA, and the runner-up for the league’s Rookie of the Year award in 2002. Meanwhile during her stint at UConn the team went 136-9 and as a senior in 2002 she earned the Naismith Award as the nation’s top player. After the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics traded Gary Payton to Milwaukee, sports fans voted on an athlete to replace him at the entrance to Nike Town in Seattle. They chose Bird.
Q1: What part of your game are you working on?
Sue Bird: There is not one specific part I’m working on, I am mainly trying to be more aggressive and concentrating on learning the international game. There are few opportunities to play like this so I have to take advantage of it.
Q2: What’s the best part about being well-known?
Sue Bird: I don’t consider myself famous but I like the fact that I can be a role model for other kids and have the ability to teach the little ones.
Q3: Isn’t it a little creepy to have fans creating websites all about you?
Sue Bird: I think it’s cool. It’s nice to be a role model, and have people look up to you and be interested in what your team is doing. I really can’t complain.
Q4: What was it like replacing Gary Payton at Nike Town?
Sue Bird: I had everything going for me around that time. Payton was traded earlier that year and I was right in the middle of my season. I was the only Storm player on the ballot, and my mom and sister were stuffing the ballot box for me. It is a great honor to know that fans did vote me in though, a really great honor.
Q5: Are you superstitious at all?
Sue Bird: I just hope it doesn’t jinx me and that they don’t trade me away too!
Q6: What have you learned about big game life since leaving UConn?
Sue Bird: UConn is a big program that has a large fan following and media following, so it almost felt like I was already in the pros. I think a lot of college programs, like Tennessee and Duke, can say that. It helped going to UConn because it was not much of an adjustment to playing professionally.
Q7: In 2002 you won every award imaginable, you rubbed elbows with celebrities and won a second NCAA title, but what was the best part?
Sue Bird: All of the awards I won were tremendous, especially looking at the team I played for. I doubt I was the best player but it was a true testament to my team and coaches. They were who I played for and helped me become the player I am today. The best part was traveling around and meeting new people.
Q8: You were ranked third as ESPN Hottest Female Athlete. Were you disappointed?
Sue Bird: Wow, I’m not disappointed, I’m surprised I was even in the top three. There is some tough competition out there!
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