If someone tells Skylar Diggins she’s being defensive, she smiles and embraces it. At 35, the Seattle Storm point guard has made defense the foundation of her game. Averaging 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks this season, she is showing that effort and discipline can rewrite the rules. Few guards standing at 5-foot-9 are swatting shots close to a block a night, but Diggins thrives on defying limits. Those stats are more than numbers: they are markers of a veteran who is still reinventing herself more than a decade into the league.
The year 2025 has already given her a string of milestones. In July, she became the first player in WNBA history to record a triple-double with fewer than 25 minutes on the floor, finishing with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. She set another standard at the All-Star Game, handing out 15 assists, the most ever in the showcase. Back in May, she tied the Seattle Storm franchise record with a career-best 14 assists in a single contest.
This season has also carried personal breakthroughs. Diggins returned to competition after the birth of her second child and joined Unrivaled, the 3-on-3 professional league founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, where she not only plays but also holds an equity stake.
Speaking after practice in Vancouver, Diggins reflected on resilience and recovery. Growing up in South Bend, Indiana, basketball was in her DNA. She remembers never being shy about making her own way. At Washington High School, she collected honors, including the 2009 Gatorade Athlete of the Year, before starring at Notre Dame. There, she carried the Fighting Irish to three Final Four appearances and two national title games. Tulsa drafted her third overall in 2013, and she wasted no time making the All-Rookie Team.
Even in her early years, Diggins made her presence felt off the court. She was the first female athlete to sign with Roc Nation Sports, Jay-Z’s agency, in her rookie season. Four years later, she signed with Puma, even before the company introduced a basketball sneaker. “I signed with them before they even had a basketball shoe,” she recalls with a laugh.
Her career choices soon took on a more personal meaning. After giving birth to her first child, she pushed for stronger maternity protections in the WNBA. Those efforts led to what players now call the “Skylar Clause,” guaranteeing full salary during maternity leave.
As a mother of two, a six-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, Diggins has spoken openly about facing postpartum depression after both pregnancies. “I thought about retiring—I didn’t feel motivated to leave my kids, especially my daughter,” she admits. “But the game really nursed me back to life, and it was so important for them to see me overcome those hurdles.”
Her focus now stretches beyond her own playing days. Diggins is working with other veterans to demand better pay, stronger family benefits, and more resources for players on and off the court through collective bargaining. “I’m not negotiating the CBA for me—it’s for the up-and-coming players and the future stars of our league,” she explains. “I stand alongside strong women who are fighting the good fight.”
Those who know her see the impact already. Teammate and longtime friend Nneka Ogwumike, who first met Diggins at junior national team camps nearly two decades ago, put it simply: “Sky wants to be the thermostat, not the thermometer. The thermometer tells you how hot or cold it is in the room, but the thermostat sets the temperature.” Head coach Noelle Quinn echoed that sentiment, describing Diggins as “a pulse in the way that she leads, always through action.” Younger players are taking note too. Angel Reese, now with the Chicago Sky, told Diggins on her podcast, Unapologetically Angel, “She walked so I could run.”
Away from competition, Diggins has learned the art of recovery. “More isn’t more,” she says, explaining how she now prioritizes rest and sustainability. Pilates has become her daily ritual, even if only for 20 minutes. It has helped rebuild her flexibility, mobility, and core strength after pregnancy.
A decade into her professional career, Skylar Diggins continues to guard the game’s future—through her play, her leadership, and her voice.
