With all the hype surrounding Sue Bird, what impresses me is that she continues to exceed expectations.

	Sue Bird has won two NCAA titles, and she's been impressive in her WNBA debut.

You would expect Bird to be physically and mentally worn out. Consider what she's been through in the past two months: winning the NCAA championship as UConn's floor leader, going on the postseason player-of-the-year trophy tour, being the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft (and then experiencing her first WNBA training camp). The media demands alone in that two-month stretch were monumental.

And as good as Bird is, she still had to make the transition from amateur collegian to professional. There's always the question: She did it at the college level, but can she sustain her success as a pro? Bird has answered that question and passed the test with flying colors.

With Bird and a healthy Lauren Jackson, the Seattle Storm could double their win total from last season (when they were 10-22).

Jackson, the 6-foot-5 center from Australia, was Seattle's top pick last year (and the WNBA's overall No. 1 pick). Bird and Jackson give the Storm a great inside-outside combination and a great foundation for a successful future.

With Jackson out due to an injured ankle, Bird has shown her versatility. As a point guard, it's her job to make her teammates better. But she knows that now her team needs her to be the offensive catalyst. What this means is that until Jackson returns, Bird must shoot far more than she did in college. In her career at UConn, Bird averaged 8.7 shots per game (5.1 as a freshman, 7.5 as a sophomore, 9.1 as a junior and 10.1 as a senior).

So far, in three WNBA games, Bird has averaged 16 shots and 19.6 points per game. She's looking for her shot, and twice she's been the game's high scorer -- 18 in a season-opening loss to New York, 27 in Tuesday's overtime victory over Minnesota. With nine minutes left vs. Minnesota, Seattle trailed by 11 points. But then Bird took over, scoring 11 points (including two 3-pointers) and dishing out three assists. She doesn't play like a rookie -- she plays like a seasoned veteran.

When you're that good, you've got a bull's-eye on your back. Bird knows that the Storm are paying her to be great, not just good. And the 21-year-old has the mental fortitude to handle that status. As the ultimate competitor, Bird has a unique and wonderful way to handle pressure: she relishes it.

From the moment she walked onto the court in Seattle, she's been the catalyst. You can see by her body language and by her eye contact in the huddle. You can see by the way she pats a teammate on the back as if to say, "Hey, that's OK, we'll get it next time." She hasn't needed that from her teammates or waited for someone to encourage her. She just walked in like she was running UConn's team. It takes lots of confidence to do that. Bird is playing with some of the best players in the world -- with veterans who have been in the league for three, four, five years. But you can see Bird's teammates respond to her.

Bird is the best college point guard I've ever seen. Fans in Connecticut had the privilege of watching her play for four years.

It appears there's been no jealousy or resentment among Seattle's veterans over Bird's significant rookie role. On the bench during games, the enthusiasm and camaraderie is evident. That's rare, because sometimes human nature takes over when a peer receives notoriety. But Bird's teammates see the big picture and understand that she can be the catalyst for change in Seattle.

Here's a vignette that illustrates the quality of Bird's game: Van Chancellor, the head coach for the 2002 U.S. Women's World Championship Team, invited Bird to practice with the team for a day in Colorado Springs (Chancellor is also the Houston Comets' coach). This was during Bird's busy two-month stretch before the WNBA season began. Chancellor told me that within three minutes of practice with the U.S. team, everybody in the gym knew Bird could be running the team. She was playing with the greatest players in the world, a Who's Who of women's basketball, with names like Sheryl Swoopes and Lisa Leslie. But they all were won over by Bird's single practice with them.

If I were building a team now, after Swoopes and Leslie, I'd want Sue Bird as my point guard. Bird is the best college point guard I've ever seen. Fans in Connecticut had the privilege of watching her play for four years. If Bird continues to work her UConn magic with the Storm, fans in Seattle will have a similar privilege.

Putbacks
Mercury Rising: I'm impressed with the Phoenix Mercury. Gordana Grubin of Yugoslavia, a third-year pro, is a natural two-guard but has been playing at the point. Last season she didn't get much playing time, and it's great to see a player resurrect her career (she's averaging 14.7 ppg). Meanwhile, guard Adriana Moises Pinto of Brazil has been a tremendous pickup. Phoenix beat Washington, 71-65, on Monday and stands at 2-1 after a season-opening loss to Houston.

Sol Wilting Early: The Miami Sol are off to a disappointing start, but they're a better team than their 0-4 record indicates. In fact, their losses have come by an average of just 3.75 points. The Sol have lost to Minnesota by three, to Houston by four, to New York by six and to Orlando by two. Lindsey Yamasaki came off the injured list to score nine points Tuesday night and will give the Sol a much-needed scoring boost. Sandy Brondello (12.8 ppg) is back to being her incredible shooting self. But Miami especially must have Sheri Sam playing at high level every night on both ends of the floor.

In Shape in New York: Kudos to New York forward Tamika Whitmore for coming into training camp in the best shape of her career. She's playing hard and is averaging 4.5 rebounds per game and 13.3 ppg (that's nearly double her 7.1 ppg last year). Also, guard Becky Hammon, who had a tough season last year, has returned with renewed confidence. She's averaging 11.5 ppg and shooting 52.9 percent from 3-point range. New York (3-1) is a tough, savvy veteran team.

ESPN analyst and Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is a former WNBA coach, general manager and player. She is a regular contributor to ESPN.com's women's basketball coverage.