‘I wish I had the honor of coaching her’: Coach K applauds Sue Bird’s career after statue unveiling

As Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird had her statue unveiled outside Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday, the historic Duke University men’s basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski, joined “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio to give Bird her flowers after an illustrious career.

“Sue Bird is the ultimate point guard. I love Sue Bird. I wish I had the honor of coaching her,” Coach K said. “She took that position to the highest level, not only in what she did physically, but what she did mentally and emotionally. I love her, and I think she is the absolute best.”

Coach K recaps Sue Bird’s career

Bird played her entire career in a Seattle Storm uniform and led the team to win four WNBA championships in 2004, 2010, 2018, and 2020. Bird retired as the all-time leader in assists with 3,234 and 6,803 points.

“The assists, she saw things that no one else saw in the moment,” Coach K said. “Her ability to think in the moment and play with courage allowed her to make those plays. No one in the history of women’s basketball really has made the number of plays like she has.”

Along with Bird’s assist record, she also holds WNBA records for total games played (580) and total minutes played (18,080). Bird also played on Team USA in the Olympics, winning five gold medals.

“She didn’t sit out of any games, and you could see days where she was hurting, bad ankles and knees, because she got banged up,” KIRO host John Curley said. “You always talk about players that play with heart and go beyond. Were there players that you knew you could count on, no matter what pains they brought to the game that day?”

“Yes, no question, and Sue understood her commitment to the team, her teammates, and also understood her commitment to the fans,” Coach K replied. “That’s why she’s so beloved in Seattle, and has a beautiful statue named in her honor.”

Bird’s statue outside of Climate Pledge illustrates her scoring a layup, which she said was a nod to how she scored both her first and final baskets in the WNBA.

Coach K’s love for Seattle

Coach K won five NCAA men’s basketball championships with Duke University in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015. Coach K also holds the NCAA record for most Final Four appearances with 13.

“Seattle, aside from basketball, is one of the great cities in the world. I mean, it’s a beautiful city, and I’ve loved every time I’ve been here,” Coach K said. “In basketball, though, Seattle is a basketball city. It has a basketball community that takes care of its young.”

Seattle native, Paolo Banchero, attended O’Dea High School and later played basketball in college under Coach K at Duke. Banchero went on to be the first overall pick by the Orlando Magic in the 2022 NBA draft.

“The last great player that I coached in college was Paolo Banchero, and he benefited from the experiences he had with the older veteran players in Seattle,” Coach K said. “They have a commitment to the game and to one another that is just beautiful, and it’s not seen hardly anywhere else in the country.”

The loss of the Seattle Supersonics nearly two decades ago created speculation ever since the team’s sale over when, if ever, the NBA would bring a team back to the city.

“I don’t know where expansion is right now on the list of things for Adam Silver and the NBA hierarchy. I know Seattle is being considered, but I don’t know the time frame for that,” Coach K said. “When the time comes, I think they’ll be right there and hopefully get that franchise back that they deserve.”

The V Foundation

Jimmy Valvano, also known as Jimmy V, was a successful basketball coach, broadcaster, and inspirational figure. Jimmy V was the coach of the NC State Wolfpack for 10 years between 1980 and 1990. In 1983, Jimmy led the Wolfpack to an NCAA Championship as a heavy underdog and won the game on a last-second buzzer beater.

“First of all, Jimmy would have loved you. Jimmy would have loved you because you’re spontaneous, you’re full of crap, you’ve got good stuff, and you’ll do whatever you need to make it work,” Coach K said to Curley.

Valvano delivered one of the most famous speeches in sports history at the 1993 ESPY awards. During the speech, Jimmy announced the creation of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and delivered the timeless quote: “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”

“The Jimmy V Foundation wants to make sure that people continue to know that speech. On his deathbed, [Coach K] was there with him, even though you went head to head numerous times against him in your college career, and he told you, ‘Coach K, I’m going to die, but I can’t just die. I have to do something,'” Curley said. “So [Coach K], Bob Lloyd, and others took his final words and turned it into probably the greatest organization that’s going to find a cure for cancer. It goes on every year, the fight never ends.”

Decades after Jimmy’s 1993 speech at the ESPYs, Coach K and The V Foundation group continue to make Jimmy’s words resonate with listeners, regardless of the battles they may be facing.

“Jimmy spoke from the heart, and his words don’t know an age, a time frame, whatever. His words know every time frame, every age, and they resonate with you whether you’re 20 years old when you first heard it, or you’re 70 and have heard it 25 times, it makes sense,” Coach K said. “Jimmy wanted to live beyond his life on earth, and he wanted to be a part of the team that won. He was the ultimate coach, and wanted to be there when the final victory was going to happen,” Coach K said. “The final victory will happen, because we are beating cancer. We haven’t won, we’re winning, but we haven’t won.”

Listen to the full conversation below.

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