The Seattle Storm will have to defend their title without Sue Bird.
The team on Tuesday announced the star point guard will be shut down for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs as she continues to rehab her knee.
The Storm had hoped Bird could make her return after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her left knee on May 30, though she'll join teammate Breanna Stewart on the bench. Stewart, the reigning MVP and WNBA Finals MVP, had surgery in April to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon and is also expected to sit out the entire season.
OFFICIAL: Sue Bird To Miss Remainder of 2019 WNBA Season
— Seattle Storm (@seattlestorm) September 3, 2019
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"While it has been difficult not to be on the court with my teammates, I am very proud of what they have accomplished this season," Bird said in a statement. "I look forward to suiting up for the Storm in 2020."
The team noted Bird, who previously missed the 2013 season with a left knee injury, will retain an active role in the locker room as the 11-time All-Star continues her rehab in Seattle.
Bird, 38, averaged 10.1 points and 1.7 rebounds last season while reaching career highs in assists (7.1), field-goal shooting percentage (46.6) and three-point shooting percentage (44.8) despite averaging a career-low 26.5 minutes.