SEATTLE — The Seattle Storm signed Skylar Diggins-Smith as WNBA free agency tipped off Thursday. The guard is a nine-year-veteran and six-time All-Star.
Diggins-Smith returns to the league after giving birth to her second child and sitting out last season. She last played with the Phoenix Mercury, has averaged 16.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in her career and joins fellow Notre Dame guard Jewell Loyd in the Seattle backcourt..
“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,” Diggins-Smith said. “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 has proven herself one of the best point guards in the league. She is one of just 10 players in WNBA history to score at least 4,200 points and record at least 1,250 assists, doing so in just 251 games—45 fewer than the next closest player. In each of her last five seasons played and six times in her career, Diggins-Smith has finished in the top 10 in both scoring and assists. She is one of just three players in WNBA history to rank in the top 10 in both categories at least six times.
“I am beyond excited for the opportunity to coach Skylar, one of the best point guards in the history of our game,” said Storm Head Coach Noelle Quinn. “Skylar is an ultimate competitor, elite playmaker, and excellent defender. Adding Skylar to our dynamic backcourt will immediately elevate our roster as we continue this next chapter of Storm basketball.”
Diggins-Smith reunites with former Notre Dame teammate Jewell Loyd, where she played her senior season with the freshman Loyd in 2012-13. The duo posted a 35-2 record, reaching the NCAA Semifinals. At Notre Dame, Diggins-Smith was a two-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the nation’s top collegiate point guard.
