.jpg) Diggins with theSeattle Storm in 2024 | |
| No. 4 – Seattle Storm | |
|---|---|
| Position | Point guard |
| League | WNBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1990-08-02)August 2, 1990 (age 35) South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Listed weight | 140 lb (64 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Washington (South Bend, Indiana) |
| College | Notre Dame (2009–2013) |
| WNBA draft | 2013: 1st round, 3rd overall pick |
| Drafted by | Tulsa Shock |
| Playing career | 2013–Present |
| Career history | |
| 2013–2019 | Tulsa Shock / Dallas Wings |
| 2020–2023 | Phoenix Mercury |
| 2024–present | Seattle Storm |
| 2025–present | Lunar Owls BC |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Stats at WNBA.com | |
Stats atBasketball Reference  | |
Skylar Kierra Diggins (born August 2, 1990) is an American professionalbasketball player for theSeattle Storm of theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and for theLunar Owls ofUnrivaled. Diggins was drafted third overall by theTulsa Shock in the2013 WNBA draft. In high school, she was theNational Gatorade Player of the Year and theGatorade Female Athlete of the Year. She played college basketball for theNotre Dame Fighting Irish and led the team to three consecutiveFinal Fours and two consecutiveNCAA championship appearances. She finished her Notre Dame career ranked first in points and steals, second in assists, and as a two-time winner of theNancy Lieberman Award as the top point guard in the nation.
Diggins was born inSouth Bend, Indiana. She is the daughter of Tige Diggins and Renee Scott. Diggins has three younger brothers Tige, Destyn, and Maurice and one younger sister, Hanneaf. She also grew up playing softball.
Diggins was a four-year varsity basketball letter winner atWashington High School in South Bend, where the Panthers had a combined record of 102–7.[1] Diggins led the Panthers to state championship games, including Washington's title-winning season of 2007 and finished her career with 2,790 points, the third-highest girls' scoring total in Indiana history for an average of 25.9 points per game. She received national honors including the Naismith Prep Player of the Year,Gatorade National Player of the Year,Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, and Miss Indiana Basketball. Diggins was named a WBCA All-American, and was aMcDonald's All-American selection.[2] She participated in the 2009 WBCA High School All-America Game, where she scored 24 points.[3] In addition to basketball, she participated in volleyball and did well academically, earning High Academic Honors as a senior, and being a member ofNational Honor Society.[4] In the March 30, 2009, issue ofSports Illustrated, she was part of itsFaces in the Crowd segment.[5] Diggins chose Notre Dame over Stanford, but was able to make friends with Stanford alumCandice Wiggins after visiting the university.
As a freshman, Diggins became the fourth Indiana native to join the Irish roster in 2009–10, and she was one of three Miss Basketball honorees on the 2009–10 Notre Dame roster. On November 15, 2009, Diggins made her collegiate debut for Notre Dame, recording 14 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in a 102–57 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. During her freshman year, she set four Notre Dame freshman records. Her total points scored (484) were the fourth best ever by a freshman, and her 112 assists were the third most by a freshman. On March 23, Diggins recorded 31 points, six assists, and seven steals in an 84–66 win over 10th-seededVermont in the second round of the2010 NCAA tournament.[6] Her 31 points were the most by a Notre Dame player in their tournament debut.
Diggins rose to national prominence in her sophomore year, leading the Irish to the second championship game appearance in school history, ten years after Notre Dame captured thenational title in 2001. Diggins became the second Notre Dame women's basketball player to reach the 1,000-point milestone before the end of her sophomore season.[7] She scored then season-high 24 points in a 73–59 win over fourth-rankedTennessee in theElite Eight to help Notre Dame reach its 3rdFinal Four ever. She was recognized as MOP of theNCAA Dayton Regional.[8] In the Final Four, Diggins recorded season-high 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, and 2 steals in a 72–63 victory against top-seededUConn, the defending champions.[9][10] In a 76–70 loss toTexas A&M Aggies at the national championship game, Diggins posted 23 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and was named to theFinal Four All-Tournament Team.[11] However, she committed 6 turnovers, the last one ending Notre Dame's chances for good as the game clock wound down. As theAssociated Press reported, "Diggins, fighting back tears, said the Irish couldn't handleA&M's pressure. 'We turned it over too much. I don't know if it was nerves or what,' she said. 'We just didn't handle the pressure.'" Diggins was a third-team All-American: she earned third-team All-American honors from the AP and the USBWA, and made theState Farm Coaches All-America Team.[12]
In her junior season, Diggins became the fourthNCAA Division I player in the past decade (since 2001–02) to register 600 points, 200 assists and 100 steals in a single season. She set a school record with 102 steals, while her 222 assists were third-most on the Notre Dame single-season list, and her 657 points ranked fourth on the school's single-season chart. After leading Notre Dame to theBig East regular-season title, she was namedBig East Player of the Year. She was also a unanimous first-team All-Big East. On March 27, at the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, Diggins recorded the first triple-double in Notre Dame postseason history with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists againstMaryland.[13] In their next game againstUConn, she scored 19 points en route to earning their second straight championship appearance.[14] In the national championship game, Diggins scored 20 as the Irish lost to Baylor 80–61.[15] Diggins was a unanimous first-teamAll-American: she earned first-team All-American honors from the AP and the USBWA, and made theWomen's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coaches' All-America Team. She was the first Notre Dame to win theNancy Lieberman Award as the toppoint guard in the nation.
In her final season at Notre Dame, Diggins posted career-high 33 points and five assists in a 77–67 victory overTennessee.[16] On February 24, Diggins recorded her second career triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists against DePaul. Diggins recorded 225 assists, the third most assists in school history. Her 114 steals was the most in a single season history. At the end of the regular season, she was namedBig East Player of the Year for the second straight year and unanimous First Team All-Big East. In theBig East Tournament, Diggins was named to the All-Tournament team after leading the Irish to their first Big East championship game victory. She recorded 12 points, 6 assists, 5 steals and 3 rebounds defeating theUConn Huskies, came up with decisive steal with eight seconds left in a tie game, then weaved through three Connecticut defenders before passing off toNatalie Achonwa for a game-winning layup with 1.8 seconds remaining. Diggins scored a game-high 27 points in an 87–76 win over second-seededDuke in theElite Eight to help Notre Dame reach its 3rd straightFinal Four. She was recognized as MOP of the Norfolk Regional. At theFinal Four, Notre Dame was defeated byBig East rivalUConn, 83–65, and finished the season with a 35–2 record. Diggins was named theNancy Lieberman Award becoming the third player to win the award twice; was named a first-team All-American by theAssociated Press and the USBWA, with theAP vote being unanimous. Diggins is the only Notre Dame basketball player (either gender) and one of only sixNCAA Division I players since 1999–2000 to compile 2,000 points/500 rebounds/500 assists/300 steals in her career. She finished her career ranking first in points, steals, free throws made, free throws attempted, games started, minutes played, double-figure scoring games and triple-doubles, and second in school history for career assists, field goals made, field goals attempted and games played
In the2013 WNBA draft, Diggins was drafted 3rd overall by theTulsa Shock.[17] Diggins averaged 8.5 points per game, 1.9 rebounds per game, 26.4 minutes per game and led the Shock in assists per game (3.8). She was named to the All-Rookie Team. Diggins had a breakout year in the2014 WNBA season and was named aWNBA All-Star for the first time and was also voted as a starter. In a regular season game loss to theSan Antonio Stars, Diggins scored a career-high 34 points.[18] During the All-Star game, she had a team high 27 points including a lay-up that sent the game into overtime. She ranked second in league in scoring with 20.1 points per game, fourth in assists with 5.0 and tenth in steals with 1.5. Diggins passed former guardDeanna Nolan for the most points in aShock season with 683 points.[19] Diggins won the 2014WNBA Most Improved Player Award.[20]
On June 28, 2015, Diggins suffered atorn ACL with 44 seconds left in a regular season game victory against theSeattle Storm, she would miss the rest of the season, including the playoffs since the Shock had a playoff berth finishing 3rd in the western conference. They would get swept in the first round by thePhoenix Mercury. Diggins only played 9 games and averaged 17.8 points per game, she was named aWNBA all-star starter for the second year in a row despite missing theall-star game due to the torn ACL injury.[21]
After recovering from a torn ACL injury, Diggins returned in time for the 2016 season, her first game back from injury was on May 21, 2016. By this time theTulsa Shock had relocated toDallas, Texas with the franchise being renamed theDallas Wings. Diggins had also signed a multi-year contract extension with theWings.[22] She played 27 games and averaged 13.1 points per game throughout the season.
In the 2017 season, Diggins would play all 34 games of the season and return to peak form. She scored a season-high 30 points along with a franchise record 7 three-pointers in an 81–69 win over theSan Antonio Stars.[23] Diggins would then be voted into the2017 WNBA All-Star Game. Diggins finished off the season averaging 18.5 ppg as well as a career-high in assists and rebounds, helping theWings reach the playoffs as the number 7 seed in the league. In her first career playoff game, Diggins scored 15 points in a losing effort to theWashington Mystics of the first round elimination game.
On June 8, 2018, Diggins scored a new career-high of 35 points along with 12 rebounds in an 89–83 victory over theIndiana Fever.[24] Diggins would be voted into the2018 WNBA All-Star Game for her fourthall-star game appearance. Diggins would averaged a new career-high in assists. TheWings finished 15–19 with the number 8 seed in the league. They would lose in the first round elimination game yet again by a score of 101–83 to thePhoenix Mercury.
In 2019, Diggins opted to sit out the entire season after giving birth to her first child in April. Without Diggins, theWings missed out on the playoffs with a disappointing 10–24 record. Days after the end of the 2019 season, Diggins confirmed on hertwitter account that she had played the entire 2018 season while pregnant without telling anybody in response to the negative criticism she received for not playing. She had also mentioned that she had taken time away from basketball due topostpartum depression and expressed her displeasure with theDallas Wings organization for their lack of support during her absence.[25][26]
In January 2020, Diggins announced that she wouldn't return and play for theDallas Wings.[27] In February 2020, Diggins was acquired by thePhoenix Mercury in asign-and-trade deal for 2020 draft picks and a future first-round pick.[28][29] The 2020 season was delayed and shortened to 22 games in a bubble atIMG Academy due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Diggins made her return on July 25, 2020, scoring 14 points along with 6 assists in a 99–76 loss to theLas Vegas Aces. On September 9, 2020, Diggins scored a season-high 33 points in a 100–95 overtime win against theConnecticut Sun.[30] TheMercury finished 13–9 as the number 5 seed. In the first round elimination game, theMercury won 85–84 against the defending championWashington Mystics. In the second round elimination game, theMercury were defeated by theMinnesota Lynx by a final score of 80–79.
On February 1, 2024, Diggins signed a two-year deal with theSeattle Storm.
On August 29, 2024, it was announced that Diggins would appear and play in the inaugural season ofUnrivaled, a new women's 3-on-3 basketball league founded byNapheesa Collier andBreanna Stewart.[31] On January 17, 2025, Diggins scored the game winning 3-point shot in theLunar Owls' win over theMist in the league opening game.[32]
Diggins was a member of the USA Women's U18 National Team, starting all five games at the 2008FIBA U18 Americas Championship inBuenos Aires, Argentina. She was part of theUnited States team that went undefeated and won thegold medal. She averaged 10.8 points on 50-percent shooting from the field, 3.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.0 steals in 23.2 minutes per game. In the tournament, she ranked among the top 5 in scoring (1st), field goal percentage (7th), assists (1st), steals (1st) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1st).
Diggins played on the 2009 USA U19 World Championship Team that posted an 8–1 record inBangkok, Thailand, and brought home thegold medal. She played in eight games and averaged 11.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.9 apg. in 23.1 minutes a game.
Diggins again played forUSA Basketball at the 2011 World University Games held inShenzhen, China. They won all six games to earn the gold medal. She led the team in points, assists and steals in the game againstGreat Britain. Diggins was the third leading scorer on the team, with 74 points, and led the team in assists and steals with 29 and 20, respectively.[33]
In September 2014, Diggins got the news that she didn't make the World Championship team after meeting with U.S. women's national team directorCarol Callan and coachGeno Auriemma. She averaged 5.0 ppg. and 1.3 apg. in three USA National Team exhibition games and was one of the final three cuts.[34]
On June 21, 2021, Diggins was named to the 12-playerroster forTeam USA for the2020 summer Olympics.[35] She and Team USA went on to win the gold medal in the tournament, defeatingJapan 90–75 in the final.[36]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| TO | Turnovers per game | FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| Bold | Career best | ° | League leader |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Tulsa | 32 | 21 | 28.7 | .328 | .244 | .833 | 1.9 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 2.9 | 8.5 |
| 2014 | Tulsa | 34° | 34° | 35.1° | .424 | .284 | .842 | 2.5 | 5.0 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 2.9 | 20.1 |
| 2015 | Tulsa | 9 | 9 | 32.1 | .405 | .448 | .918 | 2.7 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 2.0 | 17.8 |
| 2016 | Dallas | 27 | 25 | 28.3 | .390 | .299 | .788 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 13.1 |
| 2017 | Dallas | 34 | 34 | 34.2° | .422 | .350 | .894 | 3.5 | 5.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018 | Dallas | 32 | 32 | 34.1° | .403 | .297 | .839 | 3.3 | 6.2 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 17.9 |
| 2019 | Did not play (maternity leave) | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | Phoenix | 22° | 22° | 30.7 | .474 | .397 | .900 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 17.7 |
| 2021 | Phoenix | 32° | 32° | 32.5 | .450 | .370 | .818 | 3.2 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.6 | 17.7 |
| 2022 | Phoenix | 30 | 30 | 34.0 | .429 | .296 | .844 | 4.0 | 5.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 19.7 |
| 2023 | Did not play (maternity leave) | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | Seattle | 40° | 40° | 31.6 | .427 | .291 | .867 | 2.6 | 6.4 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 2.8 | 15.1 |
| 2025 | Seattle | 43 | 43 | 31.2 | .423 | .365 | .788 | 2.5 | 6.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 15.5 |
| Career | 11 years, 3 teams | 335 | 322 | 31.9 | .419 | .326 | .843 | 2.9 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 16.4 |
| All-Star | 6 | 1 | 19.1 | .443 | .364 | .833 | 4.5 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 11.8 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Dallas | 1 | 1 | 34.6 | .333 | .200 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5.4 |
| 2018 | Dallas | 1 | 1 | 37.6 | .421 | .167 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.0° | 23.0 |
| 2020 | Phoenix | 2 | 2 | 36.5 | .303 | .231 | .900 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 3.5° | 16.0 |
| 2021 | Phoenix | 11 | 11 | 34.9 | .368 | .311 | .741 | 3.6 | 6.1 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 13.9 |
| 2024 | Seattle | 2 | 2 | 36.0 | .313 | .300 | 1.000 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 14.5 |
| 2025 | Seattle | 3 | 3 | 32.3 | .409 | .643 | .750 | 2.3 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 17.0 |
| Career | 5 years, 3 teams | 20 | 20 | 35.0 | .362 | .330 | .831 | 3.4 | 6.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 15.2 |
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Notre Dame | 35 | 484 | 43.9 | 35.0 | 78.2 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 13.8 |
| 2010–11 | Notre Dame | 39 | 585 | 43.2 | 33.3 | 73.2 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 15.0 |
| 2011–12 | Notre Dame | 39 | 657 | 50.0 | 35.5 | 78.6 | 3.3 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 0.5 | 16.8 |
| 2012–13 | Notre Dame | 37 | 631 | 42.3 | 36.2 | 81.4 | 3.5 | 6.1 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 17.1 |
| Career | 150 | 2357 | 44.8 | 35.0 | 77.8 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 15.7 | |
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Diggins has become an advocate against childhood obesity, a guest interviewer forESPN, and a model for Nike. She has appeared in Vogue magazine and in a swimsuit shoot forSports Illustrated.[39]
Starting with the2020-21 NBA season, Diggins has also been a guest broadcast team member for thePhoenix Suns.[40]
Diggins also hosts "Shoot 4 The Sky" camps around the world for boys and girls grades 2–12.[41]
Diggins has a degree from Notre Dame'sMendoza College of Business.[39] In June 2016, Diggins got engaged to her longtime boyfriend Daniel Smith who is a former Clay High School and Notre Dame wide receiver.[42] The couple got married in May 2017, and she changed her last name to Diggins-Smith.[43] The couple have two children together. As of April 25, 2025, Skylar was not using Smith in her last name for Seattle Storm's training camp roster. Skylar is now going by Skylar Diggins in the WNBA.[44] On May 1, 2025, it was reported that Diggins filed for divorce from Smith on March 26, 2025, after the couple separated back in November 2024, stating that their marriage was "irretrievably broken".[45][46]
In 2013, Diggins signed withRoc Nation Sports, becoming the first female athlete to do so.[47][48] That same year, she also signed an endorsement deal withNike.[49] In 2014, Diggins signed an endorsement deal withBodyarmor SuperDrink.[50]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Wild 'n Out | Herself | Team Captain |
| 2017 | Little Ballers Indiana | Co-executive producer[52] |
· Basketball Reference 
