ANOTHER ACCOLADE FOR THE HALL OF FAMER

It’s been an amazing year for Sue Bird. The Long iSland native saw her career honored with a statue by the Seattle Storm in August, and two Hall of Fame inductions in 2025. On December 7, Bird’s #10 jersey entered the rafters at the University of Connecticut.

During her four years at UConn, Bird won two national championships and the Naismith Award as the country's best player in her senior season. Bird joins Basketball Hall of Famers Rebecca Lobo and Swin Cash with their jerseys retired by Connecticut.

In her speech, Bird thanked her friends and family for years of support and shared an interesting anecdote. She joked that her niece was more excited to see Azzi Fudd than Aunt Sue’s jersey retirement, and Bird recounted some of her early experiences as a women’s basketball fan that didn’t have the opportunity to watch games as women’s basketball wasn’t on TV in the ways that they are now:

“How lucky am I that I got to come to a university that supported women's basketball, that valued women's basketball, and I got to feel that. I got to play in front of fans that believed in women's basketball. That was my experience. So we talk about all the things we're doing now in my generation, I learned that here. And then I got to play with teammates who had the same dreams as I did.”

“I got to learn what it means to be a part of something bigger, like a family, because of the way the alumni embraced us. And watching them try to achieve their dreams, I knew what was possible and I hope you guys watch the alumni in that way now.”

Bird’s journey to this point mirrors the rise of women’s basketball to a certain extent. As she mentioned, there was a time in the not too distant past where women’s basketball was relegated to second class status by the biggest sports network on the planet and league’s television partner.

However, the fans and players kept the game alive and created a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for all. Bird and other legends such as Candace Parker fought to grow the game despite resistance from big executives and have become respected ambassadors for basketball at home and abroad. It’s a testament to the resilience of women’s basketball that it survived the dark days and is now in a space with more ways to watch and follow the sport.

Bird’s on-court excellence is what earned her all of the accolades and Hall of Fame inductions. And that excellence has powered her into other arenas where she has succeeded and opened doors for others to follow in her footsteps.

As we move into a new future, we should stop to celebrate the accomplishments of legends like Bird while also making sure we continue to push the game forward on and off the court.

THE STAR GUARD IS MAKING HISTORY

Olivia Miles was the story of the women’s college basketball summer. She shocked everyone by deciding to forgo the WNBA Draft and ALSO leaving Notre Dame to play for TCU. Miles bet on herself, and so far it’s been paying off.

On December 6, Miles collected the seventh triple-double of her college career. It tied her for the fifth most in NCAA history and was TCU’s first triple-double since TCU Hall of Famer Helena Sverrisdottir in 2011.

TCU improved to 10-0 on the season. The Horned Frogs are ranked eighth in the country and have a good chance of obtaining the highest ranking in school history. TCU is third in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 119.4 points per 100 possessions, as well as second in three-point percentage at 38.5 percent. Coach Mark Campbell has the offense humming and has the team excited for what’s ahead.

“[Coach Campbell is] able to spread the floor and put great shooters around the perimeter,” Miles said in November. “It’s hard to not want to play in that sort of system and it’s very pro-like, which is something that I really, really wanted out of this experience.”

One of the questions Miles had to answer was if her three point shooting in 2024-2025 was real. She shot under 30 percent from three-point range in her first two full seasons at Notre Dame, but saw her shooting percentage jump to 40.6 percent when she returned from her redshirt season. She’s at 33.3 percent from deep this year, which is about average for a high usage player.

The shooting will come and go, but Miles’ playmaking has been steady. She’s second in the Big 12 (tied for seventh in the nation) in assists and has helped new teammate and fellow portal transfer Marta Suarez have the best season of her college career.

Miles will be critical to TCU’s chances of winning the Big 12. She’s been excellent and has room to get even better. Miles and TCU are both looking to reach the Final Four for the first time, and if things continue at their current pace, they’ll be a major threat in the Tournament.

BIG SHOWING BY THE BIG TEN

New month, new rankings!

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

SABRINA IONESCU GOES INTERNATIONAL

Sabrina Ionescu has got a new gig.

On December 8th, it was announced that Ionescu will be the brand new ambassador for Ant International, a company based in China. For Ionescu, this partnership aligns with the off-the-court work she does here in the United States.

“I’m drawn to Ant International’s work to open up access to financial tools and opportunities for everyone,” Ionescu said. “We share an aligned vision for equitable access, and their commitment to supporting small businesses and marginalized communities mirrors the work I do with youth through sports.”

Ionescu has continued to expand her reach across the globe. She’s an investor in Bay FC in the NWSL, has one of the most popular shoes in basketball, and is beloved in New York and on the West Coast. Ionescu’s SI20 Foundation has helped kids out in the Bronx and Eugene, Oregon.

As women’s basketball continues to be a mainstream attraction, stars like Ionescu will continue to have opportunities like this. WNBA players have large, devoted fanbases that will follow them across various arenas.

Partnerships like these not only expand Ionescu’s reach, but allow her to give back at the same time. We’ll see how this partnership develops from here as Ionescu continues to be a bankable star with an expanding reach.

At Black Rosie Media, we love to give flowers to other writers and creators in the women’s basketball community.

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