I'm probably, like, the nosiest person you'll ever meet. Not in a rude way, but I like to be in the know.
— Sue Bird
My best vacations have been in Hawaii.
Something I've been starting to use almost every day is a blood flow restriction system for my legs. It's good for recovery and strength.
Nowadays, the difference between athletes is really small, and if you can get an edge, why not take it.
Jay-Z, for a lot of reasons, will always be my favorite. But actually, in terms of what I listen to, it bends towards hip-hop, but I like everything. The only thing I don't really love is country, but everything else I'm a huge fan of.
Soccer was actually my first love, but eventually, basketball took that over.
I'm not big on rookie hazing. I didn't wanna be hazed as a rookie, so I definitely didn't want to do it to others.
Be kind. Be nice to yourself. You miss a shot, it's OK.
In the past, I've told people to get me DVDs: like, the box sets of entire series. When you're overseas and there isn't much else to do, they can be great.
People continue to put our league down. It's because we're women; that's the fight. And it's a majority of black women; that's the other fight. But we represent America to the fullest. And it's weird to me that people wouldn't want to support that. I don't get it.
I think, generally speaking as a player, when I hear the word 'scout,' it's usually, 'The Seattle Storm are playing the L.A. Sparks tomorrow; the assistant coaches are scouting the L.A. Sparks.' And then they come to us and give a scouting report on the players and the team.
In my mind, women's basketball players are an untapped resource.
I'm not a good one-on-one player.
Going into your rookie year, whatever team does take you, and you get to camp, there's going to be a lot of talent in that gym. You're going to walk in a gym - and no matter what - there's going to be a lot of talent.
The only thing that I've really noticed in my own experience is just people kind of saying that a woman, when they react to something exciting, 'Oh, that's a masculine way of reacting.' And to me, that's absurd. It's like, that's how humans - they get excited, and you yell, and you jump, and you flex. That's what you do.
I think when you go through any surgery, your body changes. And with that, it can be probably the toughest mental challenge you're gonna face.
I always thought front office work, being with the team day in and day out, that was something I wasn't going to get to until I was done.
I read 'Twilight' when I was overseas. I actually liked it. I didn't expect to, because I generally don't like fantasy like that because it's far-fetched, but I liked it. It's pretty good.
I'm a big proponent of taking care of yourself.
I stick with all anti-inflammatory foods: tons of veggies, eggs, chicken, and fish. I will have some red meat, but only every now and then.
I don't know that I'm as conservative as portrayed.
I'm New York-born and raised.
I think it's hard to compare the NBA and the WNBA, but the thing about the NBA is they just have a ton of movement every year, but the WNBA doesn't. Free agency is not set up that way; the money is obviously not set up that way, so when one player moves, it could set the stage for, literally, like, six or seven years.
I think when you're a kid coming out of college, you're just kinda going with the flow. You don't really understand what's happening around you - you're just out there playing basketball - but now that I'm older and I see where the league has come in my 15 years, it's pretty cool to have witnessed it.
As for Seattle, we are rebuilding - no doubt about it. And in the WNBA, it's not easy to rebuild. You can't dangle millions in front of quality free agents.
Since I've been five, people asked me if we're related. It is usually the third question in the 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. I guess it could be worse, though, since he is a legend and all.
We're going to have a moment. It's coming: just that breakthrough that's going to give us a cool factor, and more people will want to be a part of it. Because that, to me, is the only thing we're lacking - that social thing: 'It's cool to go to a WNBA game.'
I've been on extremely talented teams that just don't click, and I've also been on team with a little bit less talent, but they clicked, and because they clicked, they did better than other talented teams I've been on.
At the end of the day, you have to put yourself first.
That's how the WNBA is a lot of times. It's being in the right place at the right time and fulfilling a role. All of us in some way, shape, or form are role players. We have to do what our teams need of us.
The reality is, like, women's basketball players are playing against women. And we're all in the same boat the same way men's sports is.
I've never felt as nervous as I did before a track meet - literally, stomach going crazy - 'cause it was just so difficult.
I've had, like, 10 surgeries in my life: four or so on my knee, my hip and my nose a couple of times.
There's something nice about being part of a trailblazing group. It's hard to look at myself that way because I look at Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoops and Rebecca Lobo and Dawn Staley in that way.
I think I'd really like to live in Israel. Even for someone like myself who is not that into religion, you go to Israel, and it's breathtaking in a lot of ways.
I don't eat dairy, and I've been gluten-free ever since I took a blood test that showed I have a mild allergy to gluten.
I definitely eat carbs. I repeat: I do eat carbs. I'm just selective on which carbs I eat and when. I won't eat things like pasta and bread at night, but in terms of fueling a workout and recovering from one, carbs are great.
A lot of my friends loved Pearl Jam, so whenever I'd hang out with them, that was usually what CD - not album - back then, it was what CD, maybe even tape, but what CD was playing.
I think, overall, the name 'The Storm' in Seattle has just continued to grow. It has now become not just an afterthought that we have a WNBA team here: it has become a part of the 'fabric' of our sports society.
There's something about dominant teams that draws fans in. People like to see this; they like to witness dominance.
I've become really strict in a lot of ways, but I'm also very lenient. I'm kind to myself.
I'm gay. Megan's my girlfriend... These aren't secrets to people who know me. I don't feel like I've not lived my life. I think people have this assumption that if you're not talking about it, you must be hiding it, like it's this secret. That was never the case for me.
I have applied for Israeli citizenship, which makes playing overseas a bit easier.
I think when you've played in a league for as long as I have, it would be foolish for a coach not to ask a player with that kind of knowledge about other players. A lot of this goes beyond the court. Are they a good teammate? Are they good in the locker room? What's their attitude like? Do they work hard?
Basketball is basketball, so from a strategic standpoint, having a players' perspective is valuable.
Ten years from now, we'll still be talked about as the first gay couple that ESPN had in 'The Body Issue.' You might not realize, in the moment, the impact that something like that can have. Every now and then, when you talk to people and hear the reactions, maybe we helped somebody.
Obviously, talent speaks for itself, so, yeah, you got to go in there, and you got to play well. You got to play your game, but that's kind of the easy part in some ways.
Usually men, usually a guy, a casual fan of maybe the NBA and somebody who then watches the WNBA, their instinct is quick to kind of size us up or put themselves against us.
I thought that basketball and soccer were hard. And then I went to track practice. It's just running and running and running. And my event was the 400 hurdles. I ended up qualifying for state. But looking back on it, track was hard.
I've been really fortunate to go, and it's exciting. You're going to the White House. I remember first walking into the room to meet President Obama and the aura... It's insane.
