The Chicago Sky can’t escape the drama.General manager Jeff Pagliocca traded away former franchise cornerstone Angel Reese a month before the season started in an effort to move forward into a new era, but the instability remains. Leading up to Chicago’s game Tuesday against the Phoenix Mercury, veteran guard Skylar Diggins was informed she would be removed from the starting lineup. She responded by posting on her Instagram story Monday morning, “Now I’m coming off the bench?????? Cool”
Diggins told reporters Monday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times: “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.”Coach Tyler Marsh confirmed his decision to move Diggins to the bench but declined further comment, saying he wants to keep his conversations with players private.Diggins, a 12-year WNBA veteran, is in her first season with the Sky. She has started all 19 games for Chicago and hasn’t come off the bench for any team since her fourth professional season with the Dallas Wings in 2016.But her Chicago tenure has been bumpy. After a 3-1 start, the Sky have gone 3-13. Diggins’ assist percentage is on track with her All-Star campaigns, but her defense has regressed and her true shooting percentage (.515) is its lowest since 2016, despite shooting 38.2 percent on 3-pointers.Diggins’ move to the second unit shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Chicago already had veteran guard Courtney Vandersloot, who was a key piece of the franchise’s lone title in 2021, under contract when Diggins signed. Although Vandersloot was rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in June 2025 at the start of the season, the expectation was that the Sky icon would eventually return to the starting lineup. She has been back for three games, averaging 8.7 points and six assists in 16 minutes off the bench.
