Sue Bird Is a Barbie Girl: Her Hope for the Doll To "Change the World" (EXCLUSIVE)

Barbie mania is still alive and kicking, especially for former professional basketball player Sue Bird! As part of Barbie's 65th Anniversary festivities and summer of sports, the brand is delighted to introduce the Barbie Sue Bird Role Model doll, honoring the WNBA legend whose groundbreaking career has paved the way for women in the league.

In a recent chat with Distractify, Sue Bird enthusiastically discussed her collaboration with Barbie and shared what she hopes kids will learn from playing with her Barbie doll.

In May 2024, Mattel announced plans to honor nine athletes with unique role model dolls in their likeness. Continuing this historic celebration, four-time WNBA champion and five-time Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird will receive her very own Barbie role model doll!

"Throughout her 21-year career as a trailblazer in the women's basketball league, Sue Bird's perseverance and authenticity have paved the way for more representation and attention on women in professional basketball and in sports," Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls at Mattel, said in a statement.  

When asked about her reaction to being immortalized as a Barbie doll and whether she ever imagined this possibility in her career, Sue exclusively told Distractify that while she grew up playing with Barbies, she never imagined she would one day have her own.

"I don't know that it was a thought, and I grew up playing with Barbies," Sue revealed to us. "You go through your career and you have a lot of goals, and I can't say that Barbie was one of them."

Sue continued, "But now that it's here, it's interesting, because this lives forever, right? The way you have an impact is when you can do things that have a long-lasting impact, and that's how I view this Barbie. It's going to change little girls, it's going to change little boys, it's going to change perspectives. It's going to inspire, aspire ... it's really exciting."

Sue also shared with Distractify her hopes for what young children will learn from playing with her doll and the message it sends about the importance of representation in toys.

"I think what I'm hoping is that it can provide a 'see it be it' moment," she explained. "Like I said, growing up, I did play with Barbies, but I didn't know that this could ever be possible because … there wasn't a women's professional basketball player who had a 20-year career because that didn't exist. The leagues didn't exist yet. It just wasn't what it is today."

She added, "I think of my young nieces, they're 11 and nine now ... I know that growing up for them to have a Barbie doll and see someone who they can, again, aspire to be like, it's going to change a lot."

"It's going to change ... perspectives, and it's really going to change I think the world," Sue boldly claimed. "It's a huge statement, I'm aware of that, but this is how you create change, with these smaller moments."

Excited to add Sue Bird's role model Barbie doll to your collection? If so, head over to the Mattel Shop, as it's now available for just $30!

This role model doll showcases Sue in her famous No. 10 jersey, complete with high socks, a sleek ponytail, and a basketball in hand. With its "Made to Move" body sculpt, the doll is fully posable and ideal for kids to reenact layups, dribbling, and three-point shots.

Sue and Barbie worked closely to create a doll that truly captures her likeness, which Sue told Distractify she "really appreciated."

She elaborated, "I got to give little tidbits here and there, whether it's how I wear my socks or sneakers. More specifically, I think where it really comes through is my ponytail."

"I actually took a lot of pride in it," Sue said about her doll's ponytail. "I didn't want to have a hair out of place because I really believe that, whether it was my uniform, my sneakers, my socks, [or] my hair, when things were in a place where I didn't have to think about them or worry about them, I could just focus on my game. I think they did a great job getting the ponytail right."

To coincide with the Barbie doll's debut and in honor of Sue Bird’s career, Barbie will also donate to Every Kids Sport, a nonprofit organization dear to Sue's heart that provides kids from all financial backgrounds with access to sports.