Sue Wicks
A WNBA pioneer and Hall of Famer who traded the hardwood for oyster beds, becoming a leader in sustainable aquaculture.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American basketball player and aquaculture farmer·Birthday: November 26·Generation X
Biography
Sue Wicks' story is one of two distinct, deeply committed lives. First, she was a basketball force—a relentless power forward whose toughness and skill were foundational for the New York Liberty in the WNBA's inaugural seasons. A college star at Rutgers, Wicks brought a veteran's savvy and a blue-collar work ethic to the new league, earning All-Star honors and becoming a fan favorite for her physical, all-out style of play. After retiring in 2002, she embarked on a second act that was just as unconventional and hands-on. She became an oyster farmer on Long Island, immersing herself in the science and physical labor of sustainable aquaculture. In 2013, her first career was immortalized with induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, a recognition of the path she helped pave for professional women athletes.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Sue was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sue Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Sue's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 for her contributions to the sport.
- Played for the New York Liberty from the WNBA's inaugural 1997 season through 2002, becoming a franchise icon.
- Named a WNBA All-Star in 1999 and was a key member of the Liberty's 1999 and 2000 WNBA Finals teams.
- Had a distinguished collegiate career at Rutgers University, where her jersey number was retired.
Did You Know?
She owns and operates Violet Cove Oyster Company, an aquaculture farm on the Peconic Bay in New York.
She was known for riding her bicycle to games at Madison Square Garden.
She played professional basketball in Japan, Italy, and Brazil before the WNBA was founded.
“Basketball was my first love, but the water and the oysters give me peace now.”
