Skylar Diggins-Smith

Skylar Diggins-Smith is an American professional basketball player, known for her fierce competitiveness and leadership on the court. As of 2026, she plays guard for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA and the Lunar Owls in the Unrivaled 3x3 league. Diggins-Smith first made national waves in high school, earning Gatorade National Player of the Year and Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year honors. She then starred at Notre Dame, leading the Fighting Irish to three straight Final Fours and two NCAA championship games. Her college resume includes finishing first in program history in points and steals, second in assists, and twice winning the Nancy Lieberman Award as the nation's top point guard. In the pros, she has been a six-time WNBA All-Star and three-time All-WNBA Second Team selection. Fans know her for her relentless drive, vocal leadership, and ability to elevate her team in big moments.[edit]

Diggins-Smith grew up in South Bend, Indiana, in a sports-loving household. Her father, Maurice, a former high school basketball player, taught her the game on a small hoop in their driveway. She was a natural competitor, also excelling in soccer and track. At Washington High School, she became a local legend, leading the Panthers to a 26-2 record and the Indiana Class 4A state championship as a senior in 2009. That season, she averaged 28.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists, earning her the Gatorade National Player of the Year and Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year awards. She was also named Indiana Miss Basketball. Her high school success made her one of the most highly recruited players in the country. She chose Notre Dame over offers from Tennessee and Stanford, enrolling in 2009.[edit]

Drafted third overall by the Tulsa Shock in 2013, Diggins-Smith made an immediate impact, earning WNBA All-Rookie Team honors. Her breakout came in 2014, when she averaged 20.1 points and 5.0 assists, led the league in assists per game, and made her first All-Star appearance. She spent seven seasons with the franchise, eventually relocating with the team to Dallas, earning four All-Star nods. In 2020, she was traded to the Phoenix Mercury in a three-team deal. She earned All-WNBA Second Team honors in 2020 and 2021, and led the Mercury to the 2021 WNBA Finals, where they fell to the Chicago Sky. After taking a leave of absence in 2022 to give birth to her son, she signed with the Chicago Sky as a free agent in 2023, making her sixth All-Star appearance that season. In 2025, she joined the Lunar Owls in the newly formed Unrivaled 3x3 league, becoming one of its marquee players.[edit]

On the court, Diggins-Smith is known for her fierce, competitive demeanor and vocal leadership. Off the court, she sports a polished, fashion-forward style, often seen in high-end streetwear and designer brands. Media portrays her as a confident, outspoken leader who frequently comments on social justice issues. Her social media voice is direct and motivational, sometimes confrontational. Fans often refer to themselves as Sky Digg Nation. She uses her platform to promote her brand, advocate for causes, and interact with fans.[edit]

Skylar Diggins-Smith commands a loyal following that operates less like a traditional fandom and more like a collective of high-performance enthusiasts. While the world knows her as a six-time All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, her supporters rarely adopt a singular, branded moniker. There is no official 'Diggers' or 'Sky Girls' legion documented in public records; instead, the audience identifies through shared admiration for her fierce on-court demeanor and polished off-court style. Fans engage primarily through direct social media interaction rather than organized campaigns, subway ads, or fan-funded projects. The lack of a formal name does not diminish their impact. They are drawn to her narrative arc: from a Gatorade National Player of the Year to a trailblazer who reverted to her maiden name, Skylar Diggins, signaling a return to her roots. Her legacy is built on verified dominance, including a perfect 6-0 record with Team USA and founding 'Skylar's Scholars' to honor academic excellence. Yet, despite her global profile as a top-tier athlete and analyst, she currently sits outside the published iFANN Global Top 1,000 rankings. iFANN has evaluated her status thoroughly, confirming she holds no placement in the current Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. This absence of a numeric rank reflects a specific moment in the data cycle rather than a lack of achievement, placing her fame in a unique tier where elite performance exists without a current algorithmic slot.[edit]

She is an avid listener of rapper Lil Wayne, crediting his music as a pre-game ritual. Before committing fully to basketball, she was a standout soccer player in high school, seriously considering a collegiate career in the sport. In 2014, she broke barriers by becoming one of the first WNBA players to receive a signature sneaker, the Nike Air Skylar. She holds the distinction of being the first Notre Dame player ever drafted in the top five of the WNBA draft. Her academic credentials are just as impressive as her athletic ones; she earned a degree in Film, Television, and Theatre from Notre Dame. Beyond the court, she established 'Skylar's Scholars,' a program recognizing teenagers for their academic achievements. Her professional mythology includes leading the U.S. Olympic team to a perfect 6-0 record in 2020 and maintaining a remarkable 53-4 win-loss record across her tenure with USA Basketball. Recently, she made headlines by dropping the surname 'Smith' from her roster identity, reverting to simply Skylar Diggins. These milestones define her career, though no viral crowd disruptions or specific folkloric legends have emerged to accompany her statistical dominance.[edit]

Diggins-Smith is the daughter of Maurice Diggins and Renee Scott. She has an older sister named Taya. Her father was a former high school basketball player who introduced her to the game. She married former NFL defensive back Daniel Smith in 2019; the couple met while both were student-athletes at Notre Dame. They have two children: a son, Legend (born 2022), and a daughter, Skye (born 2024). The family resides in the Chicago area.[edit]

Diggins-Smith played alongside Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi on the Phoenix Mercury. She competed against Breanna Stewart in the WNBA and later joined Stewart's Unrivaled league. She was a teammate of Arike Ogunbowale on the Dallas Wings.[edit]

Diggins-Smith married Daniel Smith, a former NFL defensive back who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints, in 2019. The couple met while both were student-athletes at the University of Notre Dame. They have two children together: a son, Legend (born 2022), and a daughter, Skye (born 2024). As of 2026, they remain married.[edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Skylar Diggins-Smith's net worth stands at $4 Million as of 2026. Her financial foundation rests heavily on her WNBA salary, which typically ranges between $200,000 and $250,000 per season under the current collective bargaining agreement. A two-year contract with the Chicago Sky signed in 2023 valued approximately $400,000. She has also secured significant earnings through endorsement partnerships with major brands including Nike, Gatorade, and Degree. The release of the Nike Air Skylar in 2014 marked a pivotal moment in her commercial success, establishing her as a pioneer among WNBA athletes with signature footwear. Her compensation in the Unrivaled league reportedly reaches the high six figures, matching or exceeding her WNBA income. Additional revenue streams include fees for motivational speaking engagements and her role as a basketball analyst for ESPN.[edit]

Diggins-Smith has won numerous awards, including two Nancy Lieberman Awards (2012, 2013), three All-WNBA Second Team selections (2014, 2020, 2021), and six WNBA All-Star selections. She was also named Gatorade National Player of the Year and Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year in 2009.[edit]