Sue Bird re-signs with WNBA’s Seattle Storm

SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm made official what had been expected when it announced Friday it has re-signed All-Star guard Sue Bird to a multi-year contract.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though Bird is likely making the league maximum of $95,000 for the first year of the contract.

Bird, who is currently playing professionally in Russia along with Storm teammate Lauren Jackson, spent time this week meeting with Storm coach and director of player personnel Brian Agler and CEO Karen Bryant, who traveled to Moscow to see Bird and Jackson compete in the EuroLeague All-Star game, and facilitate the deal with Bird.

The Storm had already designated Bird and free agent center Janell Burse as its core players, meaning they are committed to Seattle for this summer. The team would hopes to re-sign Burse.

“With re-signing Sue, and the addition of Swin Cash (trade with Detroit) and Sheryl Swoopes (signed as a free agent) to the incredibly talented players we already have, I couldn’t be more pleased with how our roster has come together,” Agler said in a statement Friday. “I know the fans are just as excited as I am to have Sue continue her career with the franchise that made her the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA draft.”

The Storm now have six players signed — Bird, Jackson, Swoopes, Cash and reserve guards Tanisha Wright and Katie Gearlds — and Shyra Ely, Doneeka Hodges-Lewis and Roneeka Hodges have signed qualifying offers for training camp, which opens on April 21.

“Seattle is home for me, and I am very excited to be back,” Bird, who has spent her six-year WNBA career in Seattle and is the franchise’s all-time leader in steals (287), and assists (1,077), said in a statement.

“I can’t wait to get back to Seattle to make another run at a championship. When I heard the Storm was going to stay in Seattle under local ownership (after the sale of the team to a local ownership group was finalized last month), I knew I wanted to come back.”