PHOENIX — Despite the shared syllable in their names, things aren’t clicking between Skylar Diggins and the Sky.
Diggins, 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, Diggins said the news from coach Tyler Marsh caught her off guard and that she still does not understand why she is not starting. The two had not spoken since Friday, she said, and there have been “tons” of miscommunications since she arrived in Chicago.
“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 gotta live with that.”
Marsh called it a “coach’s decision” 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 long- or short-term.
“The conversations that me and Skylar had will stay between me and Skylar,” he said.
Whatever the reasoning, there is clearly tension building between the future Hall of Famer and the Sky organization.
Diggins, 35, has been up front at various points that the season is not going the way she expected. She called out the team’s “loser mentality” after an ugly loss to the Tempo in June, saying the Sky (6-14) needed more maturity and leadership, including from the coaching staff.
On Monday, she added that the resources have not been what she expected, either.
“Being in this environment emotionally for me, 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 CBA 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.”
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 she had knee surgery in October, which has added to the strain.
“I’ve been sacrificing my body for this team,” Diggins 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 does not appear to be a strictly basketball decision. Her production and efficiency are down slightly from last year, and she has expressed frustration with her own play at various points.
But she is still averaging 14.2 points and 4.9 assists, second on the team in both categories. She is also the Sky’s best three-point shooter at 38.2% on 3.6 attempts and gets to the line more than anyone else on the roster.
“We can’t understate what Sky 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 is unlikely this is a purely rotational decision, either. 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 an ACL tear and playing very well, but she is still on a minutes restriction. Plus, Marsh has reiterated that her return should create more off-ball scoring opportunities for Diggins. Vandersloot was also part of what drew Diggins to Chicago in the first place.
Clearly, there’s more to the story.
Diggins said communication with her teammates was good and open Monday and that she talked to 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 do not start stacking wins soon, their playoff hopes will become harder to take seriously. They play the Mercury on Tuesday in the second game of a four-game trip.