"The ultimate tiebreaker" - WNBA legend Sue Bird makes her feelings clear about key achievement Paige Bueckers is yet to complete

An image of Sue Bird and Paige Bueckers side by side — Sue Bird says that an NCAA title is "the ultimate tiebreaker" for Paige Bueckers' claim to greatness. Credit: Bird/IG, Bueckers/IG

Two decades before Paige Bueckers donned a UConn jersey, Sue Bird struck fear into the hearts of her opponents as she led the Huskies of the early 2000s. Like Bueckers, Bird filled her trophy case with accolades like the Nancy Lieberman Award and All-American distinctions.

One thing, however, that separates Bird from Bueckers at this point is the number of NCAA championships won. Bird won two national titles with UConn, while Bueckers is still searching for her first.

"There are a lot of great players that have had amazing careers that have never won a national championship, that have never been to a Final Four," Bird told ESPN's Alexa Philippou. "I do think it is the ultimate tiebreaker."

The titles Bird brought to UConn ushered in an era of excellence that saw the Huskies win eight championships over the next decade and a half. Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore, Tina Charles, and Breanna Stewart would continue the winning tradition at Storrs.

For Huskies fans, the hope is that Bueckers will be the next centerpiece to bring the NCAA title back to UConn. Though Bueckers has immense shoes to fill, she is showing no signs of intimidation.

"If you're going to shy away from it at all and if you don't want that pressure, then just don't come to UConn," Bueckers told ESPN.

Thus far, Bueckers has not delivered a title to the Huskies, but her college career is not quite over. No. 2 UConn is set to take on No. 3 Oklahoma this Sunday in the Sweet 16.

Sue Bird named finalist for 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame class

It was only a matter of time before a well-decorated competitor like Sue Bird was shortlisted for perhaps the most prestigious honor.

Last month, Bird was named a finalist for the 2025 class of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

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Other finalists include Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard. The official 2025 class will be announced during the NCAA Final Four on April 5.

About the author

Simoun Victor Redoblado is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over 12 years of experience writing for publications such as Collider, ALL-STAR Magazine, and Sir Charles in Charge.

Simoun has a bachelor's degree in Secondary Education, Major in English and Minor in journalism. Thanks to the journalism courses that he took, Simoun understood the fundamentals of journalistic storytelling in the context of sports writing.

Passionate for the UP Fighting Maroons, Simoun is a fan of the NBA, PBA, UAAP, and FIBA.
His childhood team was the Chicago Bulls and Simoun was a longtime supporter of the Houston Rockets because his friends would say he looked like Yao Ming.

Simoun loves the systematic, tactical movement of the ball and the players, the stories behind each individual competing on the hardcourt and most of all, how basketball is a sport for life and all its struggles and lessons.

A father of two, Simoun spends his free time with his kids.

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Edited by Krutik Jain