Flying High-Former CTK star Sue Bird makes fourth WNBA All-Star game appearance at MSG

Intertwined among the young guns and old guard at the WNBA All-Star game at Madison Square Garden stood the league's top vote getter, Sue Bird, not quite a veteran yet but no longer considered a fresh face.
&#8220I think I'm slowly becoming a veteran,” she said. &#8220It's kind of weird, to be honest. But there's always going to be the next rookie class. It's all a part of growing up as basketball player.”
No matter - her place in the league has already been solidified - she's a winner.
Two All-WNBA first team selections, one championship and four All-Star appearances dot her resume. And those benchmarks don't even include her other grand accomplishments - back-to-back state championships at Christ the King, another two national titles at the University of Connecticut and a Gold Medal with the United States Olympic team.
&#8220I've been lucky. I've had great coaches, unbelievable teammates. They've made it very easy,” she says in her understated way that makes you forget she's one of the top players in the world, kind of like her game, where she isn't the biggest or strongest, fastest or quickest, best shooter or finisher.
Bird, who has led the Seattle Storm to a 10-9 record, averaging 10.3 points, 5.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, is just a great point guard. One former UConn and WNBA All-Star game teammate, Diana Taurasi, calls Bird &#8220hands down the best point guard. Just everything, shoot it, drive it, dish it, kick it, she does just about everything.”
Obviously her skills - the deceptive hesitation dribble, deadly jumper, speed and agility, unselfishness and unmatched work ethic - are all paramount to her success. But it's that inner fire to be the best, fostered by the intense Jill Cook and the Liberty Belles A.A.U. team that has gotten the Syosset, Long Island native to this point.
&#8220Sue looks like the All-American girl next door,” Christ the King coach Bob Mackey said, &#8220but she'll kill you. She'll beat you at everything. I don't think Sue ever lost a sprint. … Movie trivia? Don't play her. She's the best at movie trivia I've ever had.”
&#8220I always talk about if there's one person who is going to win, its Sue,” Taurasi said. &#8220No matter what, if it's dominoes, it's cards, getting to the bus first, it really doesn't matter. Sue always wants to win and if she doesn't, she gets cranky. So you know she's a true competitor.”
That side of Bird, however, was missing on this night. It was an All-Star game, &#8220probably 99.9 percent of it is for the fans,” she would say after her West squad was blitzed, 98-82, in front of 12,998 on Wednesday, July 12th. Bird was even more unselfish than usual, scoring just nine points on 4-of-8 shooting with three assists.
&#8220I just wanted to go out and play, run around a little bit, have some fun, joke around,” she said. &#8220Normally you want to win, but unfortunately that didn't happen.”
But even on the rare occasion Bird loses, she somehow remains victorious. At halftime, she was selected as part of the WNBA's All-Decade First-Team, surprising some since Bird, the top pick in the 2002 Draft, is in just her fifth season.
&#8220I'm just real happy to be on it,” she said. &#8220I think I've accomplished enough. Not a lot of people can say they've won a championship in this league. … I was just honored and excited.”