Legendary playmaker Bird passes 100 Olympic assists landmark

TOKYO (Japan) - Legendary USA playmaker Sue Bird now has 102 Olympic assists to her name after she racked up her best-ever game-high of 13 in the competition during her team's opener with Nigeria to pass the century milestone.

Appearing at a staggering fifth edition of the Games, the veteran guard was on fire and surpassed her previous best game-high of 9 assists, which she achieved at both in Rio 2016 and at London 2012.

"SUE IS LIKE FINE WINE AND GETS BETTER WITH TIME... IT'S A GREAT FEAT, BUT WE ARE SO USED TO SUE DOING SUE THINGS." - Dawn Staley-

By passing the rock 13 times it also lifted Bird up to a top-five place on the Olympic Games all-time list for assists game highs.

Typically modest in the wake of her accomplishment, Bird commented: "The significance of it is that I always just try to make the right play at all times.

"When you play with the talent that USA basketball has, the assists just come. It is not something that you set out to do. It's just a part of the game."

USA head coach Dawn Staley added: "Sue is like fine wine and gets better with time. "I saw on the stats sheet that she had 13 assists and it just felt normal for Sue and not like it probably feels for those people who have not been around her. 

"It is a great feat, but we are so used to Sue doing Sue things. We don't take it for granted - we just have comfort in knowing that we have a great point guard that makes things easier for all people around her," noted Staley who, like Bird, orchestrated the USA women to multiple Olympic basketball gold medals as a player.

"And, if it is to be her last Olympics, then we would like to send her off into the sunset with another medal." 

FIBA