Sue Bird has made history as the first WNBA player to be honoured with a statue outside a team arena. The bronze sculpture, unveiled on August 17, 2025, stands proudly outside Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, celebrating Bird's legendary 21-year career with the Seattle Storm. As a five-time Olympic gold medalist and out lesbian athlete, she has been a trailblazer for LGBTQ+ representation in sports.� The statue, crafted by artist Julie Rotblatt Amrany, depicts Bird mid-layup. Bird hopes it inspires future generations of athletes, stating, “I never set out to be the first at anything, but if being the first means I won’t be the last, if this statue means that 20 years from now there will be statues of other WNBA greats — some who are in the audience and players whose names you don’t even know yet — than I’m proud to be the first.” #SueBird #WNBA #SeattleStorm #LGBTQIA #Basketball #wlw