CHICAGO — Skylar Diggins hasn’t played for the Chicago Sky since July 3, when she scored 19 points in a loss to the Las Vegas Aces. On Friday, she spoke to reporters about what’s keeping her off the court.
Diggins said she had been playing earlier in the season despite rehabilitating from right knee surgery she had in October 2025. Now, she said, she’s continuing to progress with physical therapy.
“All I can say is I’ve been progressing and just continuing to progress day by day, hopefully seeing how it responds there. Hopefully no setbacks in that sense, and just playing it from there,” Diggins said.
On July 6, Diggins was told she was moving to the bench rather than starting. She posted to her Instagram, “Now I’m coming off the bench? Cool.” Then she said in a video, “And the crazy part about it all is I’ve been so quiet. I’ve been so good and quiet. I’ve been so good and quiet.”
She was then added to the Sky’s injury report for their July 7 game in Phoenix. Since then, Chicago has gone 3-2, with wins over the Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Los Angeles Sparks.
Diggins pointed out that her injury has allowed other players to emerge. Chicago signed Chloe Bibby to a developmental contract on June 30, and she scored 14 points in the win over Seattle.
“It’s been great to see the type of basketball we’ve been playing this past month, and seeing people in and seeing people step up in their opportunity,” Diggins said. “Chloe Bibby, in particular, it was amazing to see her. We wouldn’t have won that game without her. And so just continuing to try to stay locked in with the team as much as I can, and do my part on the sideline and my part on getting back on the floor.”
The biggest question around Diggins is when she will return to the basketball court. She hasn’t practiced with the Sky and said it’s best for her to rehab alongside them. She doesn’t have a timeline for her return.
The Sky announced on Friday that they won’t move into their practice facility this season as previously planned. When Diggins signed with the Sky in free agency, the practice facility was one of the things that was promised to her.
“Obviously, it was something we were looking forward to. It was something that we talked about this as well,” Diggins said. “Thought that we would be in there by now, and it was a consensus to not have to make a move again this year and try to get settled in here. …
“It’s something that we have to, I guess, continue to look forward to. It was a little disappointing to hear that news. I think a lot of us were really excited about it. It’s a lot of things out of our control, out of our ownership’s control that we understand, too.”
The Sky will continue to practice and have shootarounds at Wintrust Arena, their home court. The practice facility will offer everything the players need under one roof. Diggins said that’s not the case right now.
“Having the addition with some of the other things could help expedite [my timeline to return]. I definitely think that as well,” she said. “But yeah, just continue to have to outsource those resources, that we need to be vocal as we can. That has a lot to do with our timelines that [the media] ask about and getting back on the floor, and so it’s really catered to each individual and what they need. And so I’m just trying to be vocal about the things that I need to make sure I can get back on the floor as soon as possible.”
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Diggins isn’t the only player missing from the Sky’s lineup. DiJonai Carrington has yet to make her Sky debut as she continues to rehabilitate a foot injury. Rickea Jackson is out for the season after tearing her ACL in May.
When Diggins does return, Sky head coach Tyler Marsh will have to decide on her role. She said she’s been having ongoing conversations with Marsh and will do what she needs to do for the team.
“It really is whatever I have to do to win, to contribute to winning basketball, and that’s exactly what I said when … we had that conversation,” Diggins said. “Just trying to keep the main thing the main thing, and just focusing on getting 100% first or as close as I can to it.
“In the meantime, I think we’ve been playing some great basketball, and we have an All-Star break to look forward to. And hopefully, I can — I’ll be here the whole All-Star break — continue to rehab and work on and off the floor. So hopefully, I can make some progress there as well.”
Diggins signed with Chicago while dealing with personal issues. The season has not turned out as she expected, and she said it’s been a tough year.
“It’s a lot. I mean, I’m a mama, too. I’m going through a divorce, and so it’s just, it’s a lot,” she said. “It’s really not new to have adversity in this league. I got a lot more that I’m blessed about than to complain about it. So I still view [playing basketball] as a get-to and not a got-to. It’s frustrating when you don’t feel … 100%. It’s just much better when I could just be back on the floor feeling how I want to play with my teammates.”
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