Sue Bird says WNBA players once wanted to "shut up and dribble" despite 2020 activism
On her podcast, Sue Bird claimed that WNBA players would have preferred to focus solely on basketball in 2020, contradicting her earlier statements supporting social-justice initiatives.
During a recent podcast episode, former WNBPA vice president Sue Bird said that WNBA players would have preferred to keep the conversation on the court, using the phrase "shut up and dribble." She suggested that the league’s extensive political messaging in 2020 was imposed on the athletes. In reality, Bird had previously told one outlet that social-justice themes were integral to the 2020 season and that the league embraced them from the start.
The season saw players wearing "Vote Warnock" shirts to support Democrat Raphael Warnock against Kelly Loeffler, an effort Bird herself helped promote. On the same podcast, a reporter at one outlet countered Bird’s narrative, noting that the WNBA chose to engage in cultural issues. The exchange highlights a stark reversal in Bird’s portrayal of the league’s activism over the past six years.
Why it matters
The story reveals how a prominent former player is reshaping the narrative around the WNBA's political activism.
In this story
