Because of a knee injury, the Chicago Sky’s difficult 2026 season has taken another blow, with veteran guard Skylar Diggins ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.
Chicago sits at 15-25, leaving little incentive to put its seven-time All-Star at further risk. The team announced the decision Tuesday as the WNBA’s World Cup break gives franchises time to reassess their rosters and player health. Diggins confirmed that she aggravated her right knee earlier this season and has been dealing with the issue since. Diggins has been sidelined since early July, when she revealed on Instagram that she had been moved to the bench.
We just decided to scale back and shut it down for the season,” she said. The organization said it wanted to “prioritize Skylar’s long-term health after collaboration and communication with Skylar and her team, Sky doctors, and the organization’s medical staff. She previously said she had continued playing despite experiencing pain in the knee and later expressed frustration over the communication and resources provided by the organization. “I’ve been sacrificing my body for this team,” she said.
WNBA reporter Megan L. Hall shared her update, in which Diggins explained that the team ultimately decided to end her season following another evaluation. “After we reevaluated … The decision comes with the Sky already eliminated from playoff contention. Head coach Tyler Marsh characterized the move as a “coach’s decision. Diggins’ knee troubles date back to a procedure she underwent in October. “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. She has been rehabbing the injury since being sidelined. With Chicago already out of the postseason race, the Sky opted to prioritize her recovery rather than risk further aggravating the problem.
With inputs from Reuters report.
Diggins Open to Returning to Sky Amid Facility Frustrations
Despite ongoing uncertainty about her future with the Chicago Sky, guard Skylar Diggins has not ruled out a return for the next season. She stated, “I haven’t expressed any desire to not talk about me in a Chicago Sky uniform next year.”
One of her primary frustrations this season has been the team’s failure to move to its promised new practice facility. Diggins mentioned, “I think a lot of us were promised that. We thought that was going to be the case.”
In her inaugural season with the Sky, the 36-year-old played 19 games, averaging 14.2 points and 4.9 assists per contest.
