One year later, I was the New York State Player of the Year after averaging 16 points, 7.3 assists and 8.5 steals a game for a 22-3 team. A point guard with a feathery touch from long range and uncanny passing instincts, I was widely recruited for college and had Stanford and Vanderbilt on my short list before settling on this Big East school.
I started immediately for the college of my choice, but tore up my left knee eight games into the season and was lost for the year. After rehabbing hard, I started all 37 games as a sophomore and helped lead my team to a national title.
My junior year, i was honored as the National Point Guard of the Year by ESPN. That all set the stage for my senior year in which I averaged 14 points and six assists a game and shot an impressive 94 percent from the line for a team that finished 39-0 and won the national title.
For my effort, I earned the prestigious Wade Trophy for national player of the year and was the first overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft. I averaged 14 points per game as a rookie, finished second in the league with 6.0 assists per game, and led the league by shooting 91 percent from the free throw line. Do you know who I am?
Answer: Former UConn and current Seattle Storm point guard Sue Bird.