Veteran Skylar Diggins determined to bring high standards to Sky: ‘We’re not going to get punked’
CHICAGO — For Skylar Diggins, the weeks of free agency leading up to her decision to sign with the Chicago Sky created a rare moment of reframing. More than 80% of the league was out of contract in anticipation of the newly signed collective bargaining agreement. For months, every team took on an amorphous shape with no guarantees except for the players left on their rookie contracts.
Players essentially were provided with a week to sit down with teams for serious discussions, then make a decision. Ahead of her 12th WNBA season, Diggins said this offered a unique situation to sit back and reevaluate the entirety of the league — and how she saw herself within it. After playing her entire career on the West Coast, Diggins wanted to come home.
The guard grew up in South Bend, Ind. , less than two hours from Chicago, and starred at Notre Dame. As the mother of 3- and 7-year-old children, Diggins felt herself drawn to the prospect of playing with family in the stands.
But the pitch had to be more than just proximity to home. Diggins, 35, wants to lead a team. More importantly, she wants to lead a winning team.
To land their new starting point guard, general manager Jeff Pagliocca had to convince Diggins that the Sky and coach Tyler Marsh could provide that opportunity. Diggins acknowledged the risk she’s taking by joining a team fresh off two losing seasons — “A little bit of it is a leap of faith,” she said — but didn’t waver in her confidence. “I’m bought into the vision,” Diggins said Wednesday during an introductory news conference at The Metropolitan.
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