The Seattle Storm will be down another All-Star after the team announced Tuesday that Sue Bird will miss the 2013 season because she needs knee surgery.
Bird, who has been with the Storm for 11 seasons, will undergo surgery to remove a cyst from her right knee later this spring. No specific date had been announced for the surgery; the expected recovery time is six months.
“We support and agree with the decision to address the issue with Sue’s knee now,” said coach Brian Agler in a team news release. “… We want Sue to return to full health and be healthy enough to play in 2014 and for many more seasons with the Storm. We are focused on putting our team together and look forward to another competitive WNBA season.”
Seattle will already be without former MVP Lauren Jackson, who is choosing to remain in Australia and recover from hamstring surgery.
Bird is currently playing overseas and will complete her commitment because she is not experiencing pain in the knee.
“While I may not be on the court in 2013 for the Storm,” Bird said in the release, “I will be in Seattle, cheering from the sidelines and doing whatever it takes to support the team throughout the season.”
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