Skylar Diggins-Smith Opens Up About Playing The Entire 2018 WNBA Season Pregnant

Skylar Diggins-Smith Opens Up About Playing The Entire 2018 WNBA Season Pregnant

by Azariah Manning

10.25.2019  WNBA powerhouse Skylar Diggins-Smith expressed her journey with pregnancy and playing the
 whole 2018 WNBA season pregnant with her son who was born in April. With the ballers' decision to sit out of the 2019 season, she expressed the backlash she has received from fans and the media . This led her to expose the unfortunate circumstances professional female athletes endure who are mothers, and her journey specically.

"I played the ENTIRE season pregnant last year! All star, and led league (top 3-5) in
MPG….didn’t tell a soul." — Skylar Diggins-Smith (@SkyDigg4)+October 19, 2019

The 4x WNBA Allstar, still made her full salary for the 2019 season. It is still uncertain as to why she took to social media to explain her story. Many believe it has to do with not feeling fully supported by her organization, The Dallas Wings. Diggins-Smith also tweeted:

“Having no support from your own organization is unfortunate”
— Skylar Diggins-Smith (@SkyDigg4)+October 18, 2019

Diggins-Smith signed a multi million dollar deal with the Dallas Wings and has been an elite
player for the organization. The wings finished the 2018 season with the number 8 seed in the league. Diggins –Smith averaged new career highs in assists. Even though during the 2019 season she was paid in full, Diggins was not shy enough to field her frustrations with the organization.

“People called me a quitter, said I gave up on my team, etc., etc. Not knowing I took two FULL months away from everything because of postpartum depression. With limited resources to help me be successful mentally/physically,” she tweeted. Diggins-Smith stance to speak up about the inhumane and expectations organizations and fans may have on professional female athletes, has not gone unnoticed as she reveals that she dealt with post partum depressions. She expressed the importance of mental health after giving birth.

“Not knowing I took two FULL months away from everything because of postpartum depression. With limited resources to help me be successful mentally/physically. But just wait though….KEEP THAT SAME ENERGY.”

Diggins-Smith is one of the many female professional athletes who endure a lack of support or celebration when embracing motherhood. With her tweet this may help spark a change within professional female athlete organizations.

###