Retired WNBA Star Sue Bird Will Become 1st Player to Get Her Own Statue Next Month

Sue Bird is getting a permanent tribute in Seattle!

The retired WNBA star will become the first player in the league to get a statue erected in her honor, according to ESPN.

Bird’s statue will be unveiled on Sunday, August 17, on the day of the Storm’s matchup against the Phoenix Mercury — a game that’s being billed as the franchise’s “Forever Sue Game.”

“Sue’s legacy isn’t just written in championships — it’s woven into the fabric of Seattle,” Storm president and CEO Alisha Valavanis said in a statement. “Her leadership transcended basketball and helped shape a cultural shift — one that expanded who gets to lead, who gets seen and who gets celebrated.”

Bird, who played all 21 seasons of her career with the Storm, will speak at the unveiling, as well as members of the Storm front office and city officials.

Rotblatt Amrany Studios — the creator of statues of Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez and Lenny Wilkens — is behind the Bird tribute.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The statue is the latest honor for the 44-year-old former WNBA star, who retired in 2022 and was named as the first managing director for USA Woman’s National Team earlier this year.

The five-time Olympic gold medalist and 13-time WNBA All-Star will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in September.

Last summer, Bird got another special treatment — when it was announced that she was getting her own Barbie role model doll as part of the iconic fashion toy’s 65th anniversary celebration and the company’s summer of sports initiative.

“I was really excited when I heard,” Bird tells PEOPLE exclusively at the time. “I grew up playing with Barbies so it’s kind of a surreal moment when something like this happens.”