"There is always another athlete that comes": Sue Bird gets brutally honest on her legacy after Seattle recognition

The WNBA has come a long way since its early days. The league is finally getting the praise, recognition, and attention it deserves, and it's a matter of time before the serious money starts coming in.

Notably, a lot of that concerns players like Sue Bird. She spent 19 years in the league, becoming one of the most accomplished players in professional sports history.

Not only did the Seattle Storm retire her jersey, but she also got an actual street named after her. When asked about her status, she acknowledged that her numbers might not stand atop the record boards forever:

"So, those are powerful," Bird told NBC News. "They're powerful, they're meaningful. I think what landed with it is, you know, you play the game, maybe break some records, you win some championships, and yes, the memories always stay, but there is always another athlete that comes, you know, breaks one of your records or maybe wins more gold medals." (5:30)

Nevertheless, even if someone does break her records, the fact that she was a pioneer in inspiring other young girls to pursue their dreams means more to her:

"And then you start to realize, okay, so what's this other impact that I've had? And I think when you're honored in the way of a jersey retirement, in the case, with me, with the street being named after me, those last forever," Bird continued. "And I really think that is an indicator of your legacy, and more than that, it's a 'see it-be it' moment for a young girl out there. Right? We've actually changed the world in that way because I didn't have athletes that had jerseys retired or streets named after them to be like,' I wanna try to do that one day.' And now, there's a younger generation that can see us and see what we've achieved and try to do that."

Sue Bird paved the way for future stars

At the end of the day, athletes must strive not only to achieve personal greatness but also to leave the sport in a better state than they found it in.

Now, with young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese looking to do what A'Ja Wilson is doing, or even younger talents like Hannah Hidalgo or Paige Bueckers also waiting for their turn in the pros, this league's rise to the top is inevitable.

Hopefully, this new-found attention will also lead to legends like Bird, Lisa Leslie, and many others finally getting their due.