Tag: Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith revealed the reason she moved on from the Mercury to sign with the Storm

This was a no-brainer.

It’s no secret that the relationship between Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Phoenix Mercury was icy before she signed with the Seattle Storm. Now, the veteran is revealing why she made the move. Two words: Jewell Loyd.

WNBA free agency has been fairly calm in recent days, but when signings began on February 1, there was a fury of moves. Those moves included a splash Skylar Diggins-Smith signing by the Seattle Storm that shook up league circles. Diggins had been in a very tense relationship with the Mercury for well over a year after being out on maternity leave, where she was allegedly cut off from using training facilities and forced to pay to use local gyms.

On Thursday, Diggins credited Mercury legend Bridget Pettis for helping her get back to playing form and reignite her belief that she could play again. She also revealed why she wanted to play for the Seattle Storm.

Diggins-Smith explained to the media that she left so that she could be reunited with her college teammate, Jewell Loyd. She also said it was her top priority to play with 12-year veteran Nneka Ogwumike, who left the Los Angeles Sparks to also play in Seattle. Throughout Monday’s presser, Skylar and Nneka spoke about the culture, winning ways, and facilities of Seattle being huge draws as well.

You can see the full introductory press conference with Skylar, Nneka, head coach Noelle Quinn and general manager Talisa Rhea below.

Seattle Storm sign two powerhouse free agents ahead of 2024 season

The Seattle Storm are out with a vengeance during this WNBA free agency period.

The Seattle Storm are out with a vengeance during this WNBA free-agency period. The Storm have signed nine-year WNBA vet, six-time all-WNBA selection and six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith, considered one of the most, if not the most, highly coveted free agents. Then, less than a week later, they signed eight-time WNBA All-Star, six-time All-WNBA pick and the 2016 WNBA MVP in Nneka Ogwumike.

“Joining the Seattle Storm is the ideal next step in my basketball journey. The organization’s dedication to its players and the progression of the league is commendable,” said Diggins-Smith. “I’m laser-focused for the upcoming season. Stepping onto the court alongside Jewell, benefiting from the leadership of Noelle Quinn and feeling the energy of the Seattle Storm fans is a combination that I am confident will lead to success.”

Diggins-Smith sat out last season after giving birth to her second child. However, during the 2022 season, she posted career-best numbers in Phoenix.

Ogwumike was the No. 1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA draft and has spent her 12-year career with them. She is ready for a change and can’t wait to get started in Seattle after posting a career-best season in 2023.

“I’m stepping into this season of change with you, Seattle,” said Ogwumike.  “With my teammates, coaches, staff, organization, ownership, and, most importantly, the fans. Every part of me is grateful and ready for this opportunity to continue to be great and sustain legacy. You can’t calm this Storm.”

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Social media reacts to Notre Dame’s upset win over UConn

You’re loving this moment, right?

With Notre Dame battling UConn in prime time on Fox, all eyes were on this game. The Huskies have such a big reputation that it might be forgotten among casual fans that the Irish have their own track record of success. They definitely can see that after the Irish upset the Huskies on their floor in convincing fashion, 82-67. It is without question the biggest moment of the season to this point.

The people who felt best about this win obviously were Irish fans and those who are connected to the program one way or another. The only thing they could do was take to social react and share their thoughts. These are the folks who either support all things Notre Dame or know the program so well that they’ll remember nights like this long after most others have forgotten about it.

Here are some of the best reactions to this win on social media:

Opinion: Athletes can choose to share personal details with the public or not

Athletes are public figures, but they don’t owe the general public or the media the specifics of their personal lives.

The sports ecosystem is a business, but when your employees are treated poorly, how can the ecosystem be expected to thrive?

Multiple players in the WNBA, including Los Angeles Sparks’ Lexie Brown and Phoenix Mercury’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, have shared on social media strange experiences regarding their personal well-being.

Brown shared that she was taking some time away from basketball and fans, along with the media, have questioned what was wrong. However, it didn’t seem to be out of genuine concern, but rather from a sense of entitlement. Athletes are public figures, yes, but they don’t owe the general public or the media the specifics of their personal lives, including their own personal health.

Imagine if shareholders in a company demanded to know why an employee took a mental health day or why an employee was in the hospital. What if every Tom, Dick and Harry demanded an explanation on social media for your recent decision to step away from work for a few weeks? In reality, most health information is legally protected, and demanding an answer could violate state and federal law.

Why do people change their perspective when it comes to athletes? Why are people demanding answers from Brown? It truly is not their business and even if it was, demanding answers via social media is short-sighted and frankly disrespectful.

Diggins-Smith recently shared troubling news about the team’s reaction to her pregnancy.

It bears repeating: Athletes are humans first. Employees have protections when it comes to things like pregnancy. If employers are treating employees differently because they are pregnant or recovering from pregnancy, they should expect to hear from the employee’s attorneys.

This is not to say there aren’t people who are strong advocates for athletes because most certainly are, but there simply aren’t enough. More people should be advocating for athletes and recognizing they are human beings with lives outside of their jobs.

The next time you feel the need to demand answers from a player, remember they don’t owe you anything. Whether they choose to share private details about their lives or health with the public is up to them. The general public is not entitled to their personal details.

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Notre Dame players in WNBA for 2023 season

Who are the former Irish to watch this season?

The 2023 WNBA season is upon us at an all-time high in popularity for women’s basketball. More opportunities are opening up for female hoopsters at all levels, and everyone is better for it. After the thrilling college season we just had, it’s time for the professionals to show what they can do. Particular attention should be given to these players since they paved the way for the sport to reach these unprecedented levels of attention.

Notre Dame has been one of the best women’s programs for some time now. Their two national championships since the turn of the century are evidence of that, but you can see it in the WNBA, too. Ten former Irish are suiting up in the league this season, which gives Notre Dame the second-most players of any program. If you need a refresher as to who to follow over the next few months, here they are:

Pistons’ Jaden Ivey ‘wouldn’t be where he is today’ without WNBA players

Ivey respects the women who helped paved the way for him and is forever grateful for the opportunities they have provided him.

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey is no stranger to women’s basketball.

He is the son of Irish great Niele Ivey, who played five seasons in the WNBA. She was an All-American at Notre Dame and is the head women’s basketball coach at the university.

Jaden grew up with legendary players and at the 2023 ESPNW Summit, he shared what he learned in that environment along with the players who inspired him. He mentioned he wouldn’t be where he was without impactful women like Arike Ogunbowale, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Natalie Achonwa, Jewell Loyd, Jackie Young and his mother, among others.

He shared a unique memory of Ogunbowale.

I could just remember being in the gym with (Ogunbowale) and losing in 1-on-1 games. My mom can remember. I’d sit there at night crying ’cause I couldn’t even beat Arike. She would just bust my tail all the time. I really thank her for inspiring me and putting that strength in me.

Ogunbowale, who is with the Dallas Wings, was a star at Notre Dame where she helped lead the program to its second NCAA title in 2018. Ivey played against her in the gym during her time at Notre Dame.

Ivey also mentioned Diggins-Smith as an impactful woman in his life.

(Diggins-Smith) was an inspiration to a lot of kids in my area in South Bend. A lot of boys and girls looked up to her and I just look at Skylar as just an impactful woman to society because she inspired so many people from where I come from. She busted my tail, too.

Ivey was selected in the 2022 NBA draft as the fifth pick overall by the Pistons. He played college basketball at Purdue and grew up on a WNBA court before he even left the womb. His mother was pregnant with him during her rookie season in the WNBA when she started 26 of 32 games.

When his mother was hired to a coaching position at Notre Dame, young Ivey followed his mother and watched her coach future WNBA stars. Ivey respects the women who helped paved the way for him to be in the NBA and he is forever grateful for the opportunities they have provided him.

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Skylar Diggins-Smith to remain out on maternity leave at start of training camp

When Diggins-Smith had her first child in 2019, the maternity leave policy was not as robust as the current CBA.

WNBA training camp starts April 30, and the Phoenix Mercury will have Brittney Griner but will be without star Skylar Diggins-Smith. She remains out on maternity leave, as per basketball insider Khristina Williams.

Diggins-Smith announced at the end of 2022 that she and her husband were expecting their second child. When Diggins-Smith had her first child in 2019, the maternity leave policy was not as robust as in the current CBA. As of 2020, the CBA guarantees players fully paid maternity leave, upgraded two-bedroom housing for children, a $5,000 stipend for child care and places within the arenas for nursing mothers, among other things.

In 2019, Diggins-Smith told ESPN she was bringing her requests about upgraded rights for mothers to the negotiating table during CBA discussions.

“I’ve already reached out to a few moms,” she said. “As we negotiate with the CBA, how can we improve things? It’s about prioritization; we can’t have everything. But I’m going to bring that portion to the table because I’m a mom.”

The CBA was ratified in 2020 and Diggins-Smith played a part in securing the upgrades for mothers and players on maternity leave. Now players can make the decisions that are right for their families without feeling pressure to return to work right away.

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Top 10 Notre Dame women’s basketball players according to ChatGPT

Does the bot know women’s basketball?

I asked AI information bot ChatGPT to list what it believes are Notre Dame’s top 10 men’s basketball players. It only makes sense for me to give the women equal treatment. Plus the women have both a better recent past and future than the men. You know people want to know who’s made the program so special.

Please note that ChatGPT’s knowledge cuts off at September 2021, so you won’t find [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] on this list. Heck, she probably wouldn’t have made it anyway since she just completed her sophomore season. She still has a legacy to complete.

Here is ChatGPT’s disclaimer regarding the list:

“As a language model, I do not have personal opinions or beliefs, and my responses are generated based on data and information available to me. However, I can provide you with a list of some of the most notable Notre Dame women’s basketball players, based on their achievements, accolades, and impact on the program.”

It also says this:

“Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is subject to personal opinions and interpretations. There have been many talented and accomplished players in Notre Dame women’s basketball history, and different people may have different criteria for their top 10 selections.”

With that out of the way, let’s see who the information bot has deemed worthy of making this list and what it had to say about each player:

Skylar Diggins-Smith wins Emmy for broadcasting Phoenix Suns games

A Notre Dame legend collects hardware off the court.

Former Notre Dame guard and South Bend native [autotag]Skylar Diggins-Smith[/autotag] might have found her calling for when her playing career is over. The Phoenix Mercury star has achieved many things since entering the WNBA, and it opened up the opportunity to be a broadcaster for Phoenix Suns telecasts on Bally Sports Arizona. Now, she’s being rewarded with an Emmy for her work on those telecasts:

While this isn’t quite on the same scale as Kobe Bryant’s Oscar win, it still highlights just how talented Diggins-Smith is beyond the basketball court. She will be able to take just about any path she wants to whenever she retires, and this should only encourage her to see a future in broadcasting. Anyone who can intelligently analyze women’s basketball to audiences is needed more than ever at a time when the sport is growing in popularity, which should mean good news for her if she pursues it.

Congratulations, Skylar! Display that Emmy with pride.

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WNBA star and Notre Dame great Skylar Diggins-Smith announces pregnancy

Congratulations!

Congratulations are in order for legendary Notre Dame basketball star [autotag]Skylar Diggins-Smith[/autotag] who announced on Monday that she’s pregnant with her second child.  Diggins-Smith currently stars for the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and received All-WNBA First Team honors for the fourth time in her career last season and was also named to the All-Star team.

Diggins-Smith missed the 2019 WNBA season after giving birth to her first son.

The former Fighting Irish star who helped guide Notre Dame to three Final Four appearances and two national championship game appearances in her four years on campus.

Diggins-Smith is married to former Notre Dame football player Daniel Smith who played in all 13 games of the memorable 2012 season for the Irish.

Congratulations to the couple on the announcement!

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