$18 million worth Geno Auriemma shares heartfelt thoughts after Sue Bird's special Seattle Storm honor

UConn legend Sue Bird was honored with a statue outside Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday, earning praise from her former college coach, Geno Auriemma. She became the first WNBA player to receive such an honor from her team.

The Seattle Storm unveiled a statue of Bird during a special ceremony before their game against the Phoenix Mercury to recognize her indelible contributions to the franchise and the sport.

Shortly after the unveiling, the Storm posted a video on Instagram where Auriemma shared his pride and admiration for Bird's feats.

Geno Auriemma, whose net worth is estimated at around $18 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), first apologized for his inability to attend the ceremony and acknowledged that he was not surprised by the recognition, given Bird's impact on and off the court.

"Honestly, not surprised at all that you’re the first WNBA player that would ever have a statue in front of the building where you made so many memories," Auriemma said. "But, you were first in everything you tried to do, you know.

"At UConn, you were first pick, you were first by winning championships in Seattle, first to five gold medals ... Now, just a lifetime of firsts and first in games played, first in steals, all that great stuff. We couldn’t be prouder of you. Personally, I’ve obviously loved every minute of watching you play and everything else that you’ve accomplished during your incredible career."

Auriemma then joked that he hoped pigeons would be "kind" to the statue, infusing a bit of his standard humor into a heartfelt tribute.

Under Geno Auriemma, Bird won two national championships at UConn, then captured four WNBA titles with the Storm as a pro. Bird was voted into 13 WNBA All-Star Games and won three league assist titles.

Sue Bird credits Geno Auriemma during Hall of Fame induction

The year 2025 has been incredible for Sue Bird, as she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in June. During her speech, she made sure to credit Geno Auriemma for his profound influence on her illustrious career.

"The UConn coaching staff assisted me in ways that went far beyond X’s and O’s," Bird said, via Yahoo Sports. "You developed my character. Coach Auriemma, you taught me that basketball is not a game of how to, it’s a game of when to, and that wisdom became my North Star both on and off court."

Bird played four seasons for the UConn Huskies, putting up 11.7 points and 5.0 assists per game. Her collegiate success laid the foundation for everything she would achieve in her professional career. She became only the seventh player in UConn history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.