Seattle Storm signs WNBA All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Six-time All-Star Skylar Diggins-Smith returned from her one-season basketball hiatus and signed with the Seattle Storm, the WNBA team announced Thursday.

"Joining the Seattle Storm is the ideal next step in my basketball journey," Diggins-Smith, a free agent, said in a news release. "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 [Loyd], 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, 33, missed last season while on maternity leave. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft averaged 16.7 points, 5.0 assists, 2.9 rebound and 1.3 steals through her first nine seasons. She was an All-Star in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021 and 2022.

Diggins-Smith spent her first six seasons with the Tulsa Shock and Dallas Wings. She sat out the 2019 season after giving birth to her first child.

The Wings traded Diggins-Smith to the Phoenix Mercury in 2020.

"I am beyond excited for the opportunity to coach Skylar, one of the best point guards in the history of our game," Quinn said. "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."

The Storm (11-29) posted the second-worst record in the WNBA last season. They went to the playoffs for seven consecutive years before that, winning titles in 2020 and 2018, while led by Loyd, Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird and Tina Charles.

Stewart, a two-time MVP, signed with the New York Liberty last off-season. Bird, a 13-time All-Star, retired after the 2022 season.

Diggins-Smith is set to reunite with Loyd, her former Notre Dame teammate.

The Storm also announced Wednesday that they finalized a trade with the Los Angeles Spark to acquire a first-round pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft in exchange for forward Kia Nurse and the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

The Storm will start the 2024 season against the Minnesota Lynx on May 14 in Seattle.