Skylar Diggins is leaving the Seattle Storm for the Chicago Sky, jumping into the opening wave of WNBA free agency on April 11, 2026. The seven-time All-Star, a central playmaker for Seattle over the past two seasons, averaged 15.5 points and six assists last year and is now headed back closer to the Midwest with Chicago.
News of the move was quickly picked up by national outlets that highlighted both her recent production and her two-year run in Seattle. As reported by the AP, Diggins gives the Sky another veteran ball handler on top of her scoring punch.
Storm's All-Star Exits
Diggins is only the latest All-Star to walk out of Climate Pledge Arena this offseason. The Chicago Sky made her signing official in a team release, according to the WNBA, adding another layer to Seattle's rapid roster shakeup.
Elsewhere around the league, the Storm's former rivals are loading up. Nneka Ogwumike has indicated she will return to the Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Times reports. Brittney Sykes has agreed to terms with expansion Toronto in a Tempo announcement, and local coverage has tracked Gabby Williams as expected to depart Seattle. For more on those moves, see the Toronto Tempo release and coverage from The Seattle Times.
What Seattle Loses On The Court
On the floor, Seattle is watching a lot of its backbone head out the door. Diggins and the other departures represent veteran scoring, ball handling and defensive versatility that helped keep the Storm competitive in 2025. With so many minutes and responsibilities now up in the air, the depth chart is looking thin in a hurry.
Local and national analysts have noted that the franchise will have to either retool fast in free agency or lean heavily on incoming draft picks and younger players. That uncertain mix has fueled concern among fans and pundits as the Storm head into the summer with relatively few players under contract, according to reporting in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago, by contrast, is selling this as a turning-point move. The Sky are pitching Diggins as a veteran leader who can accelerate their rebuild, with general manager Jeff Pagliocca telling media the club has long coveted her and coach Tyler Marsh describing her as a player who lifts the play of teammates around her. Those comments, reported in local coverage and team statements, frame Diggins as both mentor and primary ball handler in Chicago's plans. See the Chicago Sun-Times for the full context and club quotes.
Free agency remains wide open, and there is every expectation that more names will move as teams finish their roster work ahead of opening night. The Sky tip off their 2026 campaign on May 9 in Portland. The full 2026 Chicago schedule is listed on Basketball-Reference.
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