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sports Friday 17 June 2022
WNBA star Sue Bird says 2022 will be her final season

By TIM BOOTH nal season at UConn. She
Seattle Storm star and five- is a five-time all-WNBA
time Olympic gold medalist first-team selection, the
Sue Bird announced Thurs- league's all-time leader in
day the 2022 season will assists and the only player
be her last playing in the to appear in more than 500
WNBA. games in league history.
The announcement by Bird, She has been honored on
41, ended any speculation every list imaginable as one
about her future; she had of best and most influential
acknowledged in February players in the history of the
when she re-signed with league. And she's the stan-
Seattle that this would like- dard by which other point
ly be her final season. She guards are judged.
strongly considered retire- Bird turns 42 in October and
ment after last season be- was on the cusp of step-
fore choosing to return for ping away a year ago, and
a 19th season as a player. when the Storm were elimi-
Bird's announcement nated by the Phoenix Mer-
came a day before Seat- cury in the playoffs, fans
tle's game at Connecticut. chanted "One more year!
The Storm will close out their One more year!" as she did
road trip on Sunday in New Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird holds the champions trophy after the Commissioner's Cup WNBA an on-court televised inter-
York, about 30 miles from basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, on Aug. 12, 2021, in Phoenix. view. Those cheers were
where Bird grew up in Syos- Associated Press egged on by Phoenix's
set, New York. longtime star Diana Taurasi,
"As the season has gone, tirement, saying it was my Seattle since becoming the the last coming inside the Bird's former college team-
like I said, I pretty much last year so I can share No. 1 draft pick in 2002 fol- WNBA "bubble" in Florida mate at UConn and part
knew, and then once I saw that with my family and lowing her storied college amid the coronavirus pan- of all five of those Olympic
the schedule, and then my friends, all the people career at UConn. This sea- demic. gold-medal runs.
once I started packing for in New York who have son is her 21st associated Bird hoisted five additional In the end, the fans — and
this trip a little bit, I was like, watched me growing up with the franchise although titles playing overseas in Taurasi — got what they
'Oh, this is gonna be my last so they can come and see just her 19th playing after the EuroLeague. Last year, wanted. Bird came back,
time playing in New York. me play for the last time in missing two seasons be- she added a fifth Olympic for exactly one more year.
My last time playing in front my home state. So I'm ex- cause of injuries. gold in Tokyo to go along "Sue Bird is Storm basket-
of my family and friends.' cited about that. It's also Her resume is the envy of with the ones the United ball," her WNBA team
And so that's why the tim- bittersweet." anyone in professional States earned in 2004 in tweeted moments after
ing of this is what it is," Bird Bird is a four-time WNBA sports, let alone basketball. Athens, 2008 in Beijing, 2012 Bird made her decision
said in a video posted by champion, 12-time All-Star National championships at in London and 2016 in Rio known. "Every moment, ev-
the Storm on social media. and the oldest player in the UConn in 2000 and 2002. de Janeiro. ery memory has one con-
"I just really felt strongly league. She has spent her WNBA titles with Seattle in Bird was the AP national stant. No. 10. It's time for the
about announcing my re- entire WNBA career with 2004, 2008, 2018 and 2020, player of the year her fi- final chapter."q

VP Harris launches task force on online harassment, abuse

By CHRIS MEGERIAN mendations for the federal wife. And I am more than
Associated Press government and private an athlete, more than a
WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice companies in 180 days. label," Stephens said. "Yet
President Kamala Harris "All of us have a responsi- all of that is disregarded
and administration officials bility to stand together to when people online seek
on Thursday launched a support those who have to harass me and harm
task force dedicated to gone through this, and also me. No matter whether I
fighting online harassment recognize they shouldn't win or lose, someone on-
and abuse, which they have to be alone fighting line is mad, and they will
warned can be a precur- on this issue," Harris said. make it known."
sor to real-life violence. Although the problem is After matches, Stephens
"The internet is an essen- not new, it has taken on said, she is worried to pick
tial part of life in the 21st new urgency following up her phone because "I
century," Harris said, but for mass shootings in Texas know what will be waiting
many — particularly wom- and New York that were for me when I unlock it." This undated photo, provided by Kasumi Kobo, shows Akim
en, people of color, and predated by misogynist The National Security Aliu, back row center, co-founder of the Hockey Diversity Al-
liance and former professional hockey player, posing for a
people who are not het- and racist commentary on Council is working with the photo with children of a ball hockey skills program, at the Mal-
erosexual — "the internet is social media and message White House Gender Poli- vern Recreation Centre, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
a place of fear." boards. cy Council on the initiative, Associated Press
The task force will address Harris was introduced by and Attorney General Mer-
several issues, including Sloane Stephens, a Black rick Garland and Surgeon Department had dedicat- these crimes, bringing to
prevention of online abuse professional tennis player General Vivek Murthy par- ed additional resources to justice those who perpe-
and services for people who has faced a torrent of ticipated in Thursday's an- issues like online stalking. trate them, and providing
who are targeted. It is racist abuse. nouncement. "We are committed to support for the survivors,"
scheduled to issue recom- "I'm a daughter, a sister, a Garland said the Justice relentlessly investigating he said.q