Sue Bird's time on the court may be coming to an end after Seattle Storm were eliminated from the WNBA Playoffs last night.
The point guard, who made her professional debut 20 years ago, is uncertain whether this is the end of her basketball career.
Bird was overcome with emotion following the match against Phoenix Mercury on Sunday as fans chanted for one more year of the icon.
"This is the first off-season where I feel like I need to weigh [the decision]," she told reporters after the match. "Usually I’m like, ‘Nope, one more year'. This is the first time I’m really gonna sit back and, I don’t know, see how I feel."
For all fans of the sport, Bird is nothing short of a legend. She was drafted in 2002 from the University of Connecticut as Seattle Storm selected the point guard with the first overall pick. From there, Bird would go on to establish herself as one of the game's greatest ever players.
Bird has won four WNBA titles with Storm and is the all-time leader in assists, turnovers, and games played.
She made her Olympic debut just two years after turning professional, and has won five gold medals ever since – helping the USA win in 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.
"The minute I even let myself think about [making a decision about retirement], it makes me want to cry," Bird said. "I’ve been really trying to push away those thoughts. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to function this season if I thought to myself, ‘This is the last one.'"
After the Playoff loss to Phoenix Mercury, Bird and Diana Taurasi – the only basketball players in history to win five Olympic gold medals – swapped jerseys for the first time ever.
The two planned ahead of the final result to swap uniforms, with Bird admitting: "It might be the last time we played against each other."
It would seem the time is drawing near for Bird to hang up her jersey, but as such a passionate lover of the game, it's going to be the toughest decision of her life to eventually announce her retirement.