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Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird during warmups before a game against...

Seattle Storm guard Sue Bird during warmups before a game against the Liberty at Barclays Center on June 19. Credit: Noah K. Murray

Sue Bird is an All-Star in her final WNBA season.

Bird, the Syosset native and Seattle Storm point guard who announced last week that she will retire as a player after the season, was picked for her 13th All-Star Game on Wednesday, the WNBA announced. Bird’s 13 All-Star Games extend her WNBA record for most appearances. Bird will be a starter and co-captain for this year’s game, scheduled for Chicago’s Wintrust Arena on July 10 at 1 p.m. ET.

Bird is averaging 8.6 points and 6.2 assists in 12 games with the Storm this season.

A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Breanna Stewart of the Storm were the leading vote getters among the fans and will serve as captains for the game. Bird and Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx, who will also retire after the season, will be the co-captains.

Joining Bird as the All-Star starters in the backcourt will be Sabrina Ionescu of the Liberty, and Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young of the Aces. Ionescu, Plum and Young are first-time All-Stars. Jonquel Jones of the Connecticut Sun, Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks and Candace Parker of the Chicago Sky join Wilson, Stewart and Fowles as All-Star starters in the frontcourt.

Ionescu leads the Liberty in scoring at 16.7 per game, and is averaging 6.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.2 steals in 16 games this season. She had the second triple-double of her career earlier this month, with 27 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists against the Sky.

The captains and co-captains will select the rosters from the pool of starters and reserves on July 2.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert also announced that Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury, a seven-time All-Star, will be an honorary All-Star and starter. Griner has been detained in Russia since February.-

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