With a wave and a smile, Bird leaves college behind

Sue Bird playfully wiped an imaginary tear from her left eye.

Gone is the four-bedroom hilltop apartment she shared with three Connecticut teammates. Gone is the comfy feel of being the center of life in a town that's probably as well known for its cows as its basketball programs.

Besides an anthropology paper, a couple of tests and graduation next month, Bird wrapped up her college career Wednesday with a goodbye dinner with friends.

She began her professional career yesterday, introduced as the overall No. 1 draft pick and Storm guard before a packed KeyArena crowd during a timeout of the Sonics' playoff game. Bird, 21, quickly popped up from the Section 115 seats, waved to the fans and sat down, flashing her signature toothy smile.

"It's time to grow up I guess," Bird said of leaving her comfort zone. "College is over with. I gotta get over it."

A 5-foot-9 rookie, Bird will start training camp tomorrow. She'll be part of the focal point to correct a Storm team that finished 10-22 last season with the WNBA's worst scoring average, shooting percentage and attendance.

But if anyone can handle the pressure, it's Bird. For four years, she's calmly dealt with numerous pressures, such as returning from an ACL injury and leading an undefeated team to the NCAA title last month.

In fact, Bird couldn't wait to get to Seattle — after she figured out where it was on a map and searched the Internet to read up on the Storm. A native New Yorker, her whirlwind first days in Seattle include the Sonics game and dinner with Storm teammates yesterday and throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at today's Mariners game against the Yankees at Safeco Field. Bird is a Mets fan, by the way.

She is pegged to be the starting point guard with veteran Sonja Henning serving as a backup mentor, but returning guard Michelle Marciniak said she's going to challenge Bird every minute.

"We see her as the future of this franchise," Storm Coach Lin Dunn said. "But she is a rookie. We want to make sure we don't overwhelm her, too."

One kink the Storm and Bird have to iron out is her desire to attend her graduation May 18. The Storm plays one road exhibition game and its first home exhibition game the same weekend. There are four exhibition games during the monthlong training camp.

"It's something we have to talk about," said Dunn, who has made exceptions for players in the past. "You only ever have one graduation. I understand the importance of that in a young person's life."

All-Star Lauren Jackson, forward Kamila Vodichkova, center Alessandra Santos de Oliveira and free agent Danielle McCulley will be the only late arrivals at camp due to play overseas. The Storm season starts May 30 against the New York Liberty at KeyArena.

Jayda Evans can be reached at 206-464-2067 or jevans@seattletimes.com.