Sue Bird is unquestionably one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and at 40 years old, she’s about to start her 18th WNBA season with the defending champs Seattle Storm’s opener against the Las Vegas Aces on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, ABC).
The 11-time All-Star is also the oldest player in the league. And she recently was reminded of just how much older she is than some other WNBA players, including one of her teammates, forward Mikiah “Kiki” Herbert Harrigan, who was traded to Seattle from the Minnesota Lynx in February.
During a press conference, Bird explained how she found out that she is the same age as 22-year-old Herbert Harrigan’s mother. And her reaction was priceless.
By popular request, here is the hilarious video of Sue Bird talking to media today about how she found out that her new teammate’s mother is her same age. Must watch! #SeattleStorm #TakeCover #WNBA #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/LvhF3iE75H
— Storm Chasers (@WNBAStormChaser) May 15, 2021
Talking about playing at an absurdly high level into her 40s, Bird said:
“I kind of joke we’re, — myself, Diana [Taurasi], and I don’t say this lightly, LeBron James, Tom Brady — I think we’re changing the conversations … of what it means to have a long career as an athlete. I think the way I always joke about it is 40 is the new 30.
“Although, I found out today — oh my gosh. Guys, this is just terrible. I found out today that my new teammate, Kiki, her mom is my age! We have the same birthday! Like, she’s 40 the same way I’m 40. She was like, ‘Oh no worries, she’s a young mom.’ I’m like, ‘She’s a mom! To my teammate!’
“[Herbert Harrigan] was like, ‘She’s excited to meet you.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, she probably wants to, like, hang out and get drinks.’ We’re the same age! That blew my mind.
“But anyway, I do think we’re changing the conversation about what it means to be an old athlete, or an older athlete, because we are taking care of ourselves in a way that allows us to continue to be great.”
And then she added about Herbert Harrigan’s mother: “Devastating. Just devastating.”
