UNCASVILLE — Well over an hour before the start of Friday night’s game between the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm, fans flocked the tunnel adjacent to the court at Mohegan Sun Arena.
From little girls to middle-aged men, everyone eagerly waited with the hopes of an interaction with Sue Bird. Many wore her jersey. Some had on UConn gear. Others held signs honoring the star point guard, who officially announced Thursday that she’d be retiring from professional basketball at the end of this season.
Cali Durham’s eyes went wide and her face lit up as Bird signed a hand drawn poster wishing the 41-year-old a “Happy Pride Month.” The 10-year-old, wearing a green and yellow Storm No. 10 jersey, recently did a school project on Bird and has been wanting to see her play in person for a long time.
“I look up to her because she’s just one of the reasons why I feel like I can play basketball and I shouldn’t care what people think,” Durham said. “She’s just been a really big idol to me.”
Sue Bird made sure to show love to the flock of fans waiting for her to walk to the locker room ahead of tonight’s game. Anticipating a large crowd, and a lot of No. 10 jerseys tonight. pic.twitter.com/cckJxsRS7N
— Joe Arruda (@joearruda9) June 17, 2022
A even larger group of fans formed in the same area a half hour later, again hoping to catch a glimpse of Bird. When she was announced in the Storm’s starting lineup before the game, the crowd erupted. Seattle’s other former UConn stars, Breanna Stewart and Gabby Williams, got loud cheers, too.
The stands at Mohegan Sun Arena were fuller than they’d been all season, the lower bowl packed and much of the upper deck crowded as well. A Sun…