Sue Bird

ON LETTING HER HAIR DOWN

People probably assume I sleep in my uniform. Then I get up and go to the mall or the market in my uniform. But how you dress can show a little of your personality. I love jeans and funny T-shirts that say something crazy on them like GETTING LUCKY IN KENTUCKY. I also like funky shirts that are smaller than basketball shirts so they're more form-fitting.

ON THE STORM'S WINNING SEATTLE'S FIRST PRO TITLE IN 25 YEARS

To feel them embrace us was the best part. People ask me to compare this with winning in college. [She won national titles with UConn in 2000 and '02.] You can't. At Connecticut it was expected. It had been done before. There was pressure to keep the legacy going. When I got here [in '02], the team was three years old. It's awesome to feel like you were part of that building process.

ON HAVING PLAYED IN RUSSIA FROM JANUARY TO MAY

An agent I know said to me, 'There's this team in Moscow, and they really want you.' I was like, 'Wow. Moscow?' It sounded crazy. I didn't say no or yes at first. Then I realized how good it was to have international experience. To be successful, you have to expose yourself to different situations--different styles of play, different teammates, different coaching. It was great for me.

ON HER FAVORITE RUSSIAN SAYING

Ya ne panimayu. It means I don't understand. It was the only thing in Russian I could say with confidence.

ON THE WEATHER IN RUSSIA

Sometimes, for like a week, it was so cold you could not go outside for more than a minute without it hurting. Like a sharp pain. If you had a runny nose, it would freeze right on your face. But my apartment was great. It had heated floors!