The revamped Chicago Sky will enter a new era headlined by the efforts of Skylar Diggins, formerly of the Seattle Storm.
The Chicago Sky won’t leave anything up to luck in 2026 … but thought it wise to have a former clover-bearer in the driver’s seat nonetheless.
Photo Credit: Nick Davis
A busy Sky Saturday was headlined by the signing of Skylar Diggins, one of several weekend moves announced by the team. Alexa Philippou of ESPN reported that the Notre Dame alumna signed a two-year deal.
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Chicago Rebuilds Around Diggins, Stevens
The 35-year-old Diggins is set to be one of the established headliners for Chicago next season after spending the last two tours with Seattle. She averaged 15.3 points and 6.2 assists in that span, which came after she sat out of the 2023 campaign on maternity leave. Her efforts were rewarded with her first All-Star Game invite since 2022, as she once again averaged six assists while her 3-point shooting percentage improved by over seven percentage points.
“Diggins is the kind of player who elevates everyone around her,” Sky head coach Tyler Marsh said in a team statement. “Skylar is a true veteran leader, and she possesses unmatched speed and shot creation potential. I can’t wait to work with her.”
south bend’s (and chicago’s) lucky charm pic.twitter.com/wUSQcEFwE6
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 11, 2026
It’s perhaps nice to see that Diggins didn’t take things personally: she was previously on the 2021 Phoenix Mercury team that fell to the Sky in the WNBA Finals, denying her a ring in her most prominent championship opportunity. All but nine of the 20 playoff games Diggins has played were staged that season.
Chicago, ironically enough, also brought back a member of the 2021 team on Saturday, signing Azurá Stevens to a multi-year deal. Stevens, fresh off a career-best season, spent the last three seasons in Los Angeles after working with the Sky in the prior trio.
Sky’s the Limit for Chicago Backcourt?
Chicago is in the midst of a franchise makeover, one that began when Angel Reese was traded to the Atlanta Dream earlier this week. In addition to the signing of Diggins, the Sky also entered the inking of Stevens, Rachel Banham, and Elizabeth Williams into its transaction log, as well as a trade for Washington’s Jacy Sheldon.
SKYlar SKYtown
we’ve officially signed Skylar Diggins. pic.twitter.com/r7Kd3NYJfE
— Chicago Sky (@chicagosky) April 11, 2026
With management, namely Marsh and general manager Jeff Pagliocca, seeking a spark after three straight losing seasons, Chicago has assembled a sizable presence in the backcourt: Diggins is set to work with retained potential-packed projects Sevgi Uzun and Hailey Van Lith, though Annie Costabile of Front Office Sports reported that the team could send Ariel Atkins out west to Los Angeles.
Chicago will open its season on May 9, serving as the opponent in the Portland Fire’s return to the Pacific Northwest.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
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