The extraordinary story of WNBA star Skylar Diggins-Smith

Six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith has made her way back to the court for the 2024 WNBA season. The 33 year-old is looking to get her rhythm back in her first season with the Seattle Storm, as she’s also made headlines off the floor. We’ll take a closer look at Diggins-Smith’s life and career. All statistics are sourced from Basketball Reference.

Diggins-Smith sat out the 2023 WNBA season as she was on maternity leave. It isn’t the first time the star guard has missed a WNBA season due to pregnancy, as she also was unavailable for the 2019 campaign.

Interestingly enough, each time Diggins-Smith has returned from maternity leave, she’s joined a new WNBA team. She played for the Dallas Wings in 2018 before joining the Phoenix Mercury in 2020. After the most recent maternity leave hiatus, she left the Mercury to join the Storm for the 2024 campaign.

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It’s taken a little bit of time for Diggins-Smith to get to know her new teammates, and reacclimate to the WNBA game. She was receiving some criticism for less than stellar play early on in Seattle, but the organization stood by her.

Storm head coach Noelle Quinn told CBS Sports, “There needs to be respect about the fact that she had two children and hasn’t played in 20 months. She’s not going to come overnight and be who she was 20 months ago and we have to respect and honor that. I do. As a coach, as an organization we do.”

After the slow start, Diggins-Smith has more closely resembled the player fans have come to know and love. In fact, Swish Appeal’s website believes that she’s bounced back so well that she deserved a spot on the 2024 WNBA All-Star team. They made the case that she was snubbed this time around.

It was all but a foregone conclusion that Diggins-Smith would not return to the Mercury after her second pregnancy. Things got rocky between her and the organization in 2023, as she posted on social media that “they’re (the Mercury) not gonna acknowledge me this year and it’s OK guys. We’re not affiliated unless it’s the checks…per management. I can’t even use the practice facility or any resources.”

ESPN also picked up Diggins-Smith’s second post, which said, “It was all good when I was leaving for personal time!! But when I’m leaving because I was having complications and scared of risking my child…while leading the league in minutes (pregnant). Trade her?”

The relationship may have already been damaged prior to Diggins-Smith’s maternity leave in Phoenix. During the 2022 season, then-head coach Vanessa Nygaard said that the WNBA All-Star game isn’t legitimate without Diana Taurasi, when Diggins-Smith had also made it that year. Diggins-Smith posted a clown emoji under the comments on social media.

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Los Angeles Sparks guard Kia Nurse was mic’d up for a game against Seattle in May 2024, and stood next to Diggins-Smith before tipoff. Nurse and Diggins-Smith were talking about their ages, and Nurse said she was 28 now, almost 30. The 32 year-old Diggins-Smith replied, saying that another more private part of her (Diggins-Smith’s) body was old, to which Nurse burst out laughing.

The Mirror US’ website and others caught Diggins-Smith’s comment on the hot microphone, and noted Nurse’s interjection on the clip. “I’m on a mic!” Nurse said, but it was too late.

In addition to her accomplishments on the court, Diggins-Smith has also carved out a reputation as a stylish icon off the floor. Sports Illustrated’s Lifestyle section pointed out in June 2024 that she has made the Seattle Storm’s arena tunnel her personal runway.

Diggins-Smith told Essence that she doesn’t look to anyone else for inspiration or motivation when it comes to her outfit selections. She was selected as part of Skims’ underwear campaign initiated before the 2024 WNBA season began.

Diggins-Smith told the South Bend Tribune in 2020 that she believes her style is best described as tomboy chic. “Being comfortable is my number 1 focus, so you’ll usually see me in a combination of athletic wear and jeans or a blazer.”

Despite the rocky relationship with the Mercury, Diggins-Smith’s time in Phoenix wasn’t all bad; at least from a fashion perspective. She released a “Puma Desert Sky” fashion line in 2022, which seemed fitting for her location at the time. The Boardroom’s website took a closer look at the attire.

Athlon Sports noted that Skylar Diggins-Smith achieved two impressive career milestones in early July 2024. She moved into 15^th place in the WNBA’s all-time assist list, and became the 34^th player in WNBA history to score at least 4,500 points.

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