Last Updated on May 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Sue Wicks earned a reputation as a smart and fundamentally strong forward who could impact games without needing to dominate the scoring column. Her rebounding, passing, and defensive instincts made her one of the key interior players during the early years of the WNBA.

Here is the detailed profile of Sue Wicks:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Susan Joy Wicks
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: November 26, 1966
  • Hometown: Center Moriches, New York, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m)
  • Weight: 175 lbs (79 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6 feet 4 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 12 (US)
  • Number: Wore #23 with the New York Liberty
  • Position: Forward/Center
  • High School: Center Moriches High School (New York)
  • College: Rutgers University (1984–1988)
  • WNBA Draft: Undrafted (joined WNBA in its inaugural season in 1997)
  • Teams Played For: New York Liberty (1997–2002)
  • Championship Rings: 0 (played in WNBA Finals but did not win a championship)
  • Kids: No children (she was the first openly gay woman in the WNBA)
  • Siblings: Not widely documented

Player Archetype / Play Style

Sue Wicks was a cerebral two-way post forward who fit the mold of a defense-first interior connector, giving New York a smart, physical frontcourt presence rather than a volume-scoring star. Defensively, she operated as a paint protector and positional rebounder, using timing, awareness, and discipline to contest shots, wall off space, and make life harder for opposing bigs. Offensively, she worked more as a complementary piece than a featured scorer, contributing through interior finishing, extra passing, screen setting, and steady possession play. At 6-foot-3 and 174 pounds, Wicks had solid frontcourt size and played with a fundamentally sound, workmanlike style that emphasized toughness, team defense, and unselfish decision-making. Her overall game was built on intelligence and reliability: a rugged, high-IQ post player whose impact often came from the little things that held a lineup together.

Sources:
Player profile — Basketball-Reference
1999 New York Liberty roster and stats — Basketball-Reference
Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame bio — Rutgers Athletics