Things are not all right with Skylar Diggins-Smith and the Mercury

Skylar Diggins-Smith made waves on Twitter Thursday when she revealed the status of her relationship with the Phoenix Mercury. Here’s what you need to know.

The Phoenix Mercury have had a tumultuous season and a half. With Brittney Griner detained in Russia for 10 months, the team was already dealing with so much. But on top of that, there was a culture set in place by then-head coach Vanessa Nygaard that did not foster a positive atmosphere. Evidence of that continues to pop up via Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith.

Diggins-Smith was the player who seemed to have suffered the most at the hands of Nygaard. 2022 was a season filled with just below-the-surface tension that boiled over when Nygaard discredited last year’s All-Star game with Diana Taurasi not on a roster. A roster that Diggins-Smith was on. In a quote tweet to Nygaard’s comments, Diggins-Smith responded with a clown face emoji.

In our latest peak behind the curtain via the All-Star guard’s Twitter (or “X”?), Diggins-Smith revealed that she is not permitted to use team facilities or accommodations while on maternity leave.

https://twitter.com/SkyDigg4/status/1687089564060659712?s=20

This was a response after a fan noted the Mercury did not acknowledge Diggins-Smith’s birthday on social media.

I’m not going to sit here and tell anyone how a player feels, but just from what Diggins-Smith is saying it appears she feels slighted by the team since stepping away last season.

Diggins-Smith was third in the WNBA in points last season (19.7) and seventh in assists (5.5) which led the Mercury in both categories before stepping away before the end of the year.

Diggins-Smith is currently on maternity leave after having her second child in the spring and has not been back on the court for the Mercury this season. The team and league have not yet made a statement responding to these remarks. The six-time All-Star is a free agent after this season.