PHOENIX — Despite the shared syllable in their names, things aren’t clicking between Skylar Diggins and the Sky.
Diggins, 35, who had been the team’s starting point guard, posted an Instagram story Monday morning that read: “Now I’m coming off the bench?????? Cool.”
At practice Monday, she said the news from coach Tyler Marsh that she isn’t starting caught her off guard and that she still doesn’t understand why the decision was made. The two hadn’t spoken since Friday, she said, adding that there has been “tons” of miscommunication since she arrived in Chicago in April.
“Every decision that’s made basketball-wise is made by [Marsh],” she said. “That’s my boss. Even if I don’t like decisions, I have to be a pro and go with whatever he thinks.
“I’ve been in this league for almost 400 games. I’ve been in a lot of places, and that’s always the case. I’ve been putting my body on the line. I’m here for this team. I’ve done everything that’s been asked of me. I’ve been great professionally. That’s the decision that’s made, and I’ve got to live with that.”
Marsh called it a “coach’s decision” to use Diggins off the bench and declined to share specifics, including who would start in her place. He said he felt he was able to communicate his reasoning to Diggins and that he and his staff are still discussing whether the move is short- or long-term.
“The conversations that me and Skylar had will stay between me and Skylar,” Marsh said.
Whatever the reasoning, there’s clearly tension building between the future Hall of Famer and the organization. Diggins has been upfront about the season not going the way she expected. She called out a “loser mentality” after an ugly loss to the Tempo in June, expressing that the Sky (6-14) needed more maturity and leadership, including from the coaches.
She added Monday that the resources haven’t been what she expected, either.
“Being in this environment, emotionally for me, [we’re] not having everything that we need to be successful,” Diggins said. “I’ve been elite for decades. And it’s not just from showing up. We fight so hard in our [collective bargaining agreement] to have access to a cold tub, a hot tub, a sauna, a steam room, a chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapist, IVs and things like that.
“I was thinking we were going to be in a practice facility, and other things that were told to me. And that’s not been the case. There’s been things outside of people’s control that I understand, too, a lot of moving parts. Lots of places I’ve been were in that process as well, so I get it. But it’s hard to perform at a certain level without those [resources].”
Sky ownership announced their dedicated practice facility in Bedford Park would be ready by the start of the season, then pushed the timeline to “late spring.” There has been no update since, and from the construction site, the finish still appears to be months away. The team has rotated between practicing at UIC, Loyola, and Wintrust Arena.
Diggins said a knee surgery she had in October has added to the strain.
“I’ve been sacrificing my body for this team,” she said. “Maybe it’s time to take a step back and see what’s going on to see if I need to continue to make those sacrifices without having the proper resources to play at an elite level.”
The benching doesn’t appear to be strictly a basketball decision. Diggins’ production and efficiency are down slightly from her 2025 season with the Storm, and she has expressed frustration with her own play. But she’s still averaging 14.2 points and 4.9 assists, second on the team in both categories. She also is the Sky’s best three-point shooter — 38.2% on an average of 3.6 attempts — and gets to the line more than anyone else on the roster.
“We can’t understate what [Diggins] has brought to this season and the preparation that she puts into her body and the work that she puts in day in and day out to be at optimal performance,” Marsh said. “She treats it like a pro. This is a coach’s decision — that’s all it is.”
It’s unlikely it’s purely rotational. Marsh entered the season confident he could manage three veteran point guards: Diggins, Courtney Vandersloot, 37, and Natasha Cloud, 34. Vandersloot is back after recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament last June and is playing well, but she’s still on restricted minutes. Marsh also has reiterated that her return should create more off-ball scoring opportunities for Diggins, who was drawn to Chicago in the first place in part because of Vandersloot.
Clearly, there’s more to the story.
Diggins said Monday that her communication with her teammates has been good and open and that she spoke with Vandersloot directly.
“It’s none of their issue,” Diggins said. “I don’t want it to become a bigger thing. . . . I didn’t ask for a trade or anything like that. I want to find ways to win.”
The Sky are running out of runway before the All-Star break. If they don’t start stacking wins soon, their playoff hopes will become harder to take seriously. They play the Mercury on Tuesday night in the second game of a four-game trip.