Skylar Diggins Blasts The Chicago Sky Months After Angel Reese Trade
Skylar Diggins isn’t going to let the Chicago Sky get by so easily. On Monday, July 6, the WNBA veteran sparked chaos in the league when she voiced her frustrations with the team after learning she’d been benched in favor of Courtney Vandersloot.
In an interview, Diggins criticized the team’s leadership for failing to provide her and her teammates with the resources they needed to be successful. Her comments come months after Angel Reese was traded from the Sky to the Atlanta Dream.
Skylar Diggins Blasts Chicago Sky For Benching Her In Favor Of Courtney Vandersloot
The Chicago Sky play the Phoenix Mercury tonight at 10 PM ET, and Diggins won’t be in the starting lineup. The superstar athlete took to social media on Monday, July 6, to inform her followers and the rest of the WNBA world that she’d been benched. “Now I’m coming off the bench?????? Cool,” she wrote on Instagram.
Diggins followed up with another post to her Instagram Stories, saying, “And the crazy part about it all is that… I’ve been so quiet. I’ve been so good and quiet. I’ve been so good and quiet.”
It’s unsurprising that Diggins’ move to the bench would spark a strong reaction, considering she’s started each of the Sky’s 19 games this year and has started 341 of 354 career games.
However, with Courtney Vandersloot returning to the hardwood after a year-long injury hiatus, someone was going to need to take one for the team.
Skylar Diggins Said It Was Head Coach Tyler Marsh’s Decision To Bench Her
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Diggins said it was head coach Tyler Marsh’s decision to bench her amid Vandersloot’s return. She said that while she doesn’t like the choice, she would have to respect it.
While she’s remaining professional about the switch-up, Diggins implied that she was hurt by the choice. “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,” she said.
Skylar Diggins Implied That Playing For The Chicago Sky Has Been Difficult For Her
The Sky are currently 6-14 and off to a similar start to last year, when they finished 10-34. Even still, Diggins said she’s been giving her all to her team despite their shortcomings. She also expressed her frustration with the lack of resources provided to her by Chicago’s front office, including “access to a cold tub, a hot tub, a sauna, a steam room, a chiropractor, acupuncturist, massage therapists, IVs,” and more.
According to Diggins, it’s been challenging to perform at the highest level without the proper means, such as a practice facility. “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],” she said.
Diggins Called Out The Sky’s ‘Loser Mentality’ Earlier In The Year
Reporter: “I had [a question] just on the half court offensive execution…”
— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) June 7, 2026
Skylar Diggins: “That’s a Tyler [Marsh] question. Ask Tyler.” pic.twitter.com/cG5CyrLjvn
This isn’t Diggins’ first time being vocal about her frustrations with how things are going for the Chicago Sky. After losing 85-68 to the Toronto Tempo, Diggins called out her team for not taking pride in how they’re showing up on the court.
“We have to get out of that loser mentality that we have,” she said. “That’s a heart thing, and that’s what we lack right now.”
Diggins’ Comments Come Months After Reese Was Traded To Atlanta
Diggins isn’t the only superstar player who has been critical of the Sky, according to The Blast. Last year, Reese made headlines after suggesting the Windy City team needed to do more to attract the best players so the team could win.
“I’m not settling for the same s— we did this year,” she said at the time. “We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That’s a nonnegotiable for me. I’m willing and wanting to play with the best.”
“… I’d like to be here for my career, but if things don’t pan out, obviously I might have to move in a different direction and do what’s best for me. But while I am here, I’m going to try to stay open-minded about what I have here and maximize that as much as I can,” she added.
Reese’s comments didn’t go over well with the team’s leadership. She was benched for half a game; however, Reese never put on a Sky jersey again.
In April 2026, she was traded to the Atlanta Dream and said, “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”
Originally published on theblast.com