Free agent Skylar Diggins-Smith, a nine-year WNBA veteran and six-time All-Star who missed last season while on maternity leave, signed with the Seattle Storm on Thursday.
Diggins-Smith, 33, will join fellow guard and former Notre Dame and USA Basketball teammate Jewell Loyd, who has won two championships with the Storm.
"Joining the Seattle Storm is the ideal next step in my basketball journey," Diggins-Smith said in a statement. "The organization's dedication to its players and the progression of the league is commendable.
"I'm laser-focused for the upcoming season. Stepping onto the court alongside Jewell, benefiting from the leadership of [Coach] Noelle Quinn and feeling the energy of the Seattle Storm fans is a combination that I am confident will lead to success."
Diggins-Smith was the No. 3 draft pick in 2013 for the Tulsa Shock, and then went to Dallas when the franchise moved there in 2016. Before the 2020 season, Diggins-Smith was traded to the Phoenix Mercury, for whom she played for three seasons and reached the 2021 WNBA Finals.
While sitting out last season, Diggins-Smith shared via social media that her relationship with the Mercury had largely been severed except for the salary she received. It was clear she would not return to Phoenix.
She has averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in her WNBA career.
A native of South Bend, Indiana, she went to the Final Four three times with Notre Dame (2011-13). She and Loyd were teammates in 2012-2013, when Notre Dame won the Big East tournament. They also played together on the U.S. squad that won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to coach Skylar, one of the best point guards in the history of our game," Quinn said in a statement. "Skylar is an ultimate competitor, elite playmaker, and excellent defender. Adding Skylar to our dynamic backcourt will immediately elevate our roster as we continue this next chapter of Storm basketball."