Some future Hall of Famers, such as Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant, announce their impending retirement before or during a season, resulting in a “farewell tour.”
Sue Bird did the same thing in her final WNBA season two years ago.
Bird announced midway through the 2022 season that she would retire at the end of that season, giving fans and teams a chance to say goodbye to the WNBA legend.
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Sue Bird of the Women's National Team and LeBron James speak during the USA Women's Basketball Showcase as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Feb. 15, 2020, at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. (Bill Baptist/NBAE via Getty Images)
LeBron James, however, recently stated that he was “50-50” on the idea.
Well, Bird says James should have one.
“When I look back, I still have very, very, very good memories. I wouldn't change a thing. I'm very glad that I announced it when I announced it and that I was able to experience the farewell tour. And I was actually against that at a time. moment, a couple of years before, so it was interesting for me to experience it that way…” Bird said on the Sports Media podcast.
“If I talked to LeBron right now, he'd be like, 'Bro, I couldn't recommend this enough.'”
Bird admitted she wasn't sure she wanted all the attention, but said she felt she owed it to fans to appreciate her one last time.
Former Storm guard Sue Bird arrives during her jersey retirement ceremony after the Washington Mystics game, June 11, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
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“You almost have to look outside of yourself and understand that this is going to be meaningful to a lot of people,” he said.
Bird said such a tour could be overwhelming, “but I think the pros outweigh the cons.”
It seems the all-time leading scorer's mind is exactly where Bird's is thinking about saying goodbye.
“There are moments where I feel like I owe it to my fans who have been on this journey with me for over two decades, to be able to give them that moment where every city and whatever the case may be, they give you your flowers or whatever. Whatever. That seems great,” he said during All-Star weekend.
LeBron James' pregame ritual of throwing chalk into the air. James began the ritual of keeping his hands dry during games, but continued with it once he became a fan favorite. (Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
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“But on the other hand, I've never been that good at accepting praise. It's a strange feeling for me. I never really talked about it much, but it's a strange feeling for me. So going to every city, if that's the case, “I don't know. I've seen Mike, I've seen Kobe. I've seen a lot of guys. I just don't know how much… how I would feel. I don't know if I would feel good about it.”
James is 39 years old and has said he has been considering when he will step down, although he is still putting up All-Star numbers with 24.9 points, 7.8 assists and 7.2 rebounds.
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