Sue Bird Barbie: Mattel honors WNBA great with signature doll

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — WNBA great Sue Bird has been honored with a signature Barbie doll.

Mattel announced Tuesday the collectible tribute doll was modeled for Bird, who is a “basketball legend who pioneered the way for growth in the women’s league with her record-breaking legacy and courageous voice that forever changed the game.”

The doll is dressed in a No. 10 jersey, Bird’s number in the WNBA.

The doll is part of Mattel’s Role Model series as the company celebrates’ Barbie’s 65th anniversary and the company’s summer of sports initiative.

UConn, where Bird won two national championships in college, posted a photo of her smiling while holding her Barbie.

Bird, 43, retired in 2022 after 21 seasons in the WNBA, all with the Seattle Storm. She helped the storm to four championships and was part of five U.S. national teams that won a gold medal, the last coming in 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics. She’s now a part owner of the Storm.