Skylar Diggins-Smith recently found herself in the midst of some behind-the-scenes drama after she was accused of bad behavior toward her coaches and teammates. The six-time WNBA All-Star took to social media to defend herself against the allegations.
“Circling Seattle Sports” reported on Friday that the Seattle Storm’s coaching staff is being investigated following accusations of player mistreatment. Diggins-Smith’s actions in practice was also brought up during the investigation; she was accused of having multiple verbal outbursts directed at her teammates during practice.
“As the season developed, it was clear that Diggins-Smith’s style of leadership wasn’t held in high regard by most except the coaching staff,” Christan Braswell wrote. “According to multiple sources, Diggins-Smith led several outbursts laced with vulgarity during practices directed at teammates.”
With the story running rounds online, Diggins-Smith went on Instagram to post a short message in her IG stories. “Don’t tell a lie on me…” she wrote in one of the stories.
Skylar Diggins-Smith joined the Storm last offseason, appearing in all 40 games. She averaged 15.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.7 steals.
Skylar Diggins-Smith has had past teammate issues
Skylar Diggins-Smith is not new to the accusations currently being hurled against her, as she had been involved in a public altercation with a teammate in 2022 when she was still playing for the Phoenix Mercury.
The incident took place on May 17, 2022 during a timeout in the second quarter of the Mercury’s game against the Las Vegas Aces. For some reason, Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi got into a heated exchange during the timeout, prompting their teammates to separate them. The altercation got caught on camera and went viral.
Skylar Diggins-Smith and Diana Taurasi had to be separated after a heated exchange on the bench. pic.twitter.com/QGCghYuHAf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 18, 2022
After the game, neither Diggins-Smith nor Taurasi spoke about what caused the tension between them. The Mercury’s coaches only said that the two simply got caught up in the heat of the game.
Diggins-Smith spent three seasons in Phoenix. She last played in 2022, missing the 2023 season due to the birth of her second child. Before joining the Mercury, the six-time All-WNBA point guard spent some time playing for the Tulsa Shock and the Dallas Wings.
The two-time Nancy Lieberman Award recipient is signed with Seattle through the 2025 season. She has also confirmed to join the Unrivaled 3×3 basketball league in January.
As Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Storm’s coaching staff face a pending investigation, there is no telling what could happen next within the franchise.
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