UConn Star Sue Bird Inducted into Women's Basketball Hall of Fame: A Well-Deserved Honor

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Sue Bird is officially a Hall of Famer.

So, of course, with her new title, the former UConn women’s basketball great found the perfect opportunity to poke fun at her former Husky coaches after they arrived late to Saturday’s Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“CD (Chris Dailey), you have proven time and time again that excellence is perfecting the details that others ignore and doing the little things right every single time,” said Bird during her induction speech. “That attention to detail became part of who I am, which is exactly why I chose you to present me tonight.

“And that makes it even more hilarious that they were late because their flight got delayed, so she actually couldn’t present me. Yeah, you win 12 and you get a little lax, huh?”

The flight into Knoxville carrying Dailey, Geno Auriemma and Morgan Valley was delayed four hours Saturday, preventing the Husky coaches from getting into Knoxville on time. Valley told CT Insider their flight landed an hour before the ceremony started. The three coaches rushed from the airport to their hotel to quickly change outfits before arriving about 10 minutes late to the ceremony.

“If it were up to me, we would have been yesterday,” Dailey said after the ceremony.

Bird is the eighth member of UConn women’s basketball to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, joining Maya Moore (Class of 2024), Swin Cash (2021), Dailey (2018), Kara Wolters (2017), Jennifer Rizzotti (2013), Rebecca Lobo (2010), and Auriemma (2006).

She was joined in the Class of 2025 by former Duke star Alana Beard, former LSU star Sylvia Fowles, former Rutgers star Cappie Pondexter, Union (Tenn.) University NAIA coach Mark Campbell, former coach Lucille Kyvallos (West Chester State College (Pa.) and Queens (N.Y) College), and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Executive Director Danielle Donehew.

In place of Dailey, Bird was presented by Team USA Women’s National Team Director, Carol Callan (Class of 2021) and escorted by her sister, Jen Bird.

The former Husky was the final inductee to deliver their induction speech Saturday evening at the Tennessee Theatre. Bird, the WNBA assist record holder, focused her speech on thanking all the people who assisted her throughout her career.

“My entire career, I had the honor of playing point guard, someone who sees the court and finds that perfect moment to set someone else up for greatness,” Bird said. “As I prepared for today, I realized every assist I ever made came from the countless assists that were made for me. My journey has been shaped by an incredible team of family, coaches, teammates and mentors who believed in me, guided me and saw something in me before I could see it in myself. So tonight, I honor the truth. That greatness is never a solo performance.”

The former Husky thanked her family first, thanking her parents, her sister, and her two nieces, “Who are less impressed with my playing career and more amazed that I actually know Paige Bueckers and A’ja Wilson, even though they don't believe that I actually know them,” joked Bird.

She then thanked UConn, Auriemma and Dailey for helping shape her on and off and off the court.

“The more she played, and then the more she was involved, whether it's USA, the WNBA, it's like, everywhere she went, she just won championship after championship after championship,” Auriemma said. “She was the best player in college, and she was the best guard in the WNBA. She was the best guard in the Olympics. So, it just kind of kept following. It's almost like it was meant to be. She deserves everything she gets.”

Bird thanked her former high school, UConn, WNBA and Team USA teammates for always supporting her, yet there was one who got a special shoutout.

“Then there's the teammate that was on all the teams, Diana Taurasi,” Bird said. “Our friendship goes way beyond basketball, your family. Some say we're the best backcourt of all time, and I think you're the greatest of all time. So, I guess that makes me the Diana Taurasi of point guards.”

After thanking her Seattle Storm owners, the fans, the WNBA and Team USA staff, and her personal group of trainers, Bird gave a heartfelt thanks to her longtime fiancé, Megan Rapinoe, who sat with Bird’s family in attendance during the ceremony.

“Megan, my partner in everything,” Bird said. “… You've taught me that greatness isn't just about what you achieve on the court or field, but that the most meaningful victories happen when you use your voice for something bigger than yourself. You've been my biggest fan, my voice of reason and my softest landing place. Thank you for seeing me, really seeing me and loving all of me.”

And in Sue Bird fashion, the Hall of Famer concluded her speech by thanking the WNBA pioneers who came before her and encouraging the current women’s basketball stars to keep going.

“Basketball has given me more than I could ever give back, but like everyone before me, I've tried to leave it in a better place,” Bird said. “... Today, as I watch the explosion in women's basketball, I am filled with overwhelming pride. We all should. The game isn't just surviving, it's thriving. To witness this generation of players stepping into their power, being unapologetic and celebrated for their talent, that's the real dream come true.”

Saturday’s honor is the first of such for Bird this summer. The former Husky will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September alongside fellow former Husky Maya Moore. The Naismith selection makes both Bird and Moore eligible for their jersey numbers to be retired at UConn.

“It's going to be an incredible UConn night in Springfield, and there'll be a huge UConn turnout, I'm sure,” Auriemma said before adding with a laugh. “And it's just, we're gonna be running out of numbers, you know. I'm glad that now you can have any number you want, right?”