Among her other firsts include returning to the court after having her second child as well as playing (and having an equity stake) in Unrivaled<\/a>, a professional women’s 3-on-3 basketball league that launched in January 2025, founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart<\/a> and Napheesa Collier<\/a>.<\/p>\n With her sights set on postseason play, WH caught up with the player after a shoot-around in Vancouver to talk resilience, recovery, and redefining herself.<\/p>\n getty images<\/p>\n Hailing from South Bend, Indiana, Diggins was basically born with a basketball in her hands. And her style of play? Bold. \u201cI\u2019ve never been shy to blaze my own trail,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n After excelling at Washington High School\u2014she was named Gatorade Athlete of the Year in 2009\u2014Diggins went on to Notre Dame, where she led the Fighting Irish to three consecutive Final Fours and two NCAA championship games. After her college career wrapped, she was drafted 3rd overall by the Tulsa Shock in the 2013 WNBA Draft where she quickly became a star; she made the All Rookie Team that year.<\/p>\n While she was known to be fearless on the court, Diggins sought to push the envelope when she stepped off it, too. In her rookie year, she made history by becoming the first female athlete to sign with Roc Nation Sports, Jay-Z’s sports management agency. In 2017, Diggins took another major step by signing with PUMA. \u201cI signed with them before they even had a basketball shoe,\u201d she laughs. <\/p>\n And before long, her professional moves started to become more personal. After the birth of her first child<\/a>, she openly advocated along with other players for improved maternity protections in the WNBA<\/a>, paving the way for what became unofficially known as the \u201cSkylar Clause,\u201d which guarantees full salary during maternity leave. <\/p>\n A mom of a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter, Diggins says she experienced postpartum depression after both pregnancies. \u201cI thought about retiring\u2014I didn\u2019t feel motivated to leave my kids, especially my daughter,\u201d she says. \u201cBut the game really nursed me back to life, and it was so important for them to see me overcome those hurdles.\u201d <\/p>\n “The game really nursed me back to life.” <\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Diggins isn\u2019t just looking ahead to the future though, she\u2019s actively defending it. She\u2019s joining forces with other veteran players to advocate for better pay<\/a>, improved maternity and parental benefits<\/a>, and enhanced resources for players both on and off the court through a CBA (or collective bargaining agreement). \u201cI\u2019m not negotiating the CBA for me\u2014it\u2019s for the up and coming players and future stars of our league,\u201d Diggins says. \u201cI stand alongside a lot of strong women who are fighting the good fight right now.\u201d<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t pure talk\u2014those around her say they can feel it all taking root. \u201c[Sky] wants to be the thermostat, not the thermometer\u2014the thermometer tells you how hot or cold it is in the room, but the thermostat sets the temperature,\u201d 14th-year WNBA veteran and Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike told The IX Basketball.<\/a> \u201cOne thing that I love most about her is how she really just takes matters into her own hands in a way that makes her like the manifester of things.\u201d Ogwumike and Diggins aren\u2019t just teammates\u2014they\u2019ve been friends for nearly two decades, first crossing paths at USA Basketball invite-only junior camps from 2008 to 2011.<\/a> But last year marked the first time they shared a WNBA locker room in Seattle.<\/p>\n Others at the top of the Storm organization understand her too: \u201cSky is a pulse in the way that she leads. It\u2019s always through action,\u201d Storm head coach Noelle Quinn told The Spokesman-Review<\/a>. And the next generation is taking note. Angel Reese, the dynamic Chicago Sky forward once lovingly known as \u201cBayou Barbie\u201d<\/a> at LSU, put it plainly when she hosted Diggins on her Unapologetically Angel<\/a> podcast: \u201cShe walked so I could run.\u201d<\/p>\n Beyond the spotlight, Diggins allows herself the grace of lowering her guard. \u201cI\u2019ve learned the importance of recovery<\/a> over the years,\u201d she says. \u201cMore isn\u2019t more.\u201d Now, she practices Pilates daily. \u201cEven 15-20 minutes of Pilates on a busy day has helped a lot with my flexibility, mobility and strengthening my core after pregnancy.\u201d <\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n![\"skylar](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/wnba-sky-diggins2-68b9a542a2255.jpg\" "\\"skylar")
<\/p>\n\n