Sue Bird to Join NBC Sports as WNBA Studio Analyst in May 2026

The Hall-of-Famer, four-time WNBA Champion, 13-time WNBA All-Star, and five-time Olympic Gold Medalist will serve as a leading voice in NBC Sports’ WNBA coverage as the league returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock.

April 08, 2026

Hall-of-Famer, Four-Time WNBA Champion, 13-Time WNBA All-Star, Five-Time Olympic Gold Medalist to Serve as a Leading Voice in NBC Sports’ WNBA Coverage as the League Returns to NBC and Debuts on Peacock

Sue Bird, a four-time WNBA Champion, 13-time WNBA All-Star with the Seattle Storm, and five-time Olympic gold medalist who was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025, will join NBC Sports as a studio analyst when the WNBA returns to NBC and debuts on Peacock in 2026.

Drawing on two decades as one of the WNBA’s most accomplished and respected competitors, Bird brings an authoritative, experience‑driven perspective shaped by the league’s history and its continued growth. In addition to her studio appearances, Sue will host a series of feature stories throughout the season, with portions airing on television and extended versions available digitally, including on Peacock. These features will give audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the league, shaped by the access and perspective only Bird can provide.

Widely considered as one of the greatest players in WNBA history, Bird played 19 seasons in the WNBA, all with the Seattle Storm. Bird’s acclaimed career consists of countless milestones and accomplishments: four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020), 13 WNBA All-Star selections, eight All-WNBA awards, three WNBA Sportsmanship awards, is the WNBA’s all-time leader in assists (3,234), career starts (580), and minutes played (18,080), is second and third in WNBA history for 3-pointers made (1,001) and steals (724), respectively, three WNBA Assists Leader awards, and she remains the only player to win WNBA titles in three different decades.

Bird also enjoyed a decorated international career, winning five consecutive Olympic gold medals in Athens, Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo. In her final Olympics in Tokyo, Bird was the Team USA flag bearer.

“From the talent to the coaching to fan engagement, this league has never been stronger. I’m so excited to get to tell those stories in real time, dig into the details and give fans a different perspective on everything that makes the WNBA such a special and entertaining league.”

– Sue Bird

“There is no more accomplished player in the history of the WNBA and arguably in all of women’s sports than Sue Bird. Sue’s knowledge of the game is unmatched and will bring fans closer to the sport they love, both through analysis and storytelling.”

– Betsy Riley, Senior Vice President and WNBA Coordinating Producer of NBC Sports

Bird will often work with Maria Taylor, who was announced earlier last year as lead studio host for select WNBA games on NBC and Peacock.

Bird was the No. 1 overall pick by the Storm in 2002 out of UConn. A native of Syosset, New York, Bird led the Huskies to two NCAA championships in 2000 and 2002, with her final college championship coming during her senior season highlighted by an undefeated 39-0 record. Bird’s overall record at UConn is 114-4. In her 2002 senior season, Bird won the Naismith College Player of the Year Award.

Since retiring from the WNBA, Bird is the first managing director for the USA national women’s team and will be tasked with selecting the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics player roster and coaching staff. Bird is also a part-owner of both the WNBA’s Seattle Storm franchise and the National Women’s Soccer League franchise Gotham FC as a minority investor. A trusted voice in the media, she is host of the podcast “Bird’s Eye View with Sue Bird” and co-host with legendary United States Women’s National Soccer Team player Megan Rapinoe of “A Touch More: The Podcast”. For more information on Bird, click here.

NBC Sports’ presentation of the WNBA begins in May and includes the 2026 WNBA Finals on NBC and Peacock.

About NBCUniversal and the WNBA

In July 2024, NBCUniversal and the WNBA announced an 11-year media rights agreement, beginning with the 2026 season. In 2026, NBCUniversal will present WNBA regular-season games, WNBA Semi-Finals and WNBA Finals, across NBC and Peacock. For more information on the agreement, click here.

Additional information about NBC Sports’ 2026 WNBA coverage will be announced soon.