Sue Bird says fans helped sway her decision to play another year with Seattle Storm

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sue Bird delivered the news via social media in January that she would return for her 19th — and likely final — WNBA season with Seattle. But she said Thursday the seeds for that decision go back to a moment of spontaneous affection from fans last September just after the Storm's season ended. Without that, Bird said, she might not be playing in 2022.

After an overtime loss to Phoenix in the playoffs, Bird and close friend Diana Taurasi of the Mercury were being interviewed by ESPN's Holly Rowe. And the Storm crowd began to chant, «One more year!»

Bird told ESPN on Thursday she had tried to keep thoughts of it possibly being her last game out of her mind, although she knew she would be facing a decision about whether to return at age 41.

«It really didn't hit me in that moment until the fans chanted,» Bird said. «And then I was like, 'Oh, they know it, too? They're sensing this also?' It's weird because it immediately changed my perspective. Had the buzzer gone off and I just went home, I probably would have retired.

»But having that moment, it kind of changed some things for me. During the drive home, there was a wide range of emotions, as you can imagine."

The Storm played last season at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington, around 30 miles from Bird's home near downtown Seattle. Her fiancee, soccer star Megan Rapinoe, had driven her own car to the game, so Bird was alone with her thoughts. Did she she shed some tears?

«Absolutely,» Bird said. «I was definitely boo-hooing.»

After spending time with her teammates that evening and then doing media interviews the following day, Bird was still vacillating. The past several years, the point guard has been on a season-to-season plan about