Skylar Diggins-Smith named Western Conference Player of the Week

Phoenix Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith has been named the Western Conference Player of the Week.

Diggins-Smith, 31, averaged 23.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 7.7 assists through a three-game span. It’s her sixth career honor as the player of the week. The six-time All-Star has turned in an impressive season thus far as well.

.@SkyDigg4 been goin’ crazy on both ends of the floor.

The 6x All-Star and 2022 ESPY Best WNBA Player nominee is your Western Conference Player of the Week!#4TheValley pic.twitter.com/TtZOCm12ZB

— Phoenix Mercury (@PhoenixMercury) July 18, 2022

Coming into the second half of the season, she’s averaging 19.4 points and 5.5 assists through 25 games. The 5’9″ guard is also averaging 4.2 rebounds per contest, a career high. Production-wise, it’s the best season Skylar-Diggins has put together since coming to Phoenix.

Diggins-Smith was heavily rumored to be traded by the Mercury prior to the trade deadline on July 15, but the deadline passed with no movement from Phoenix. The notion around the league was that the Mercury’s front office didn’t deem a trade package on the market suitable for Diggins-Smith.

The Notre Dame standout has made her displeasure with the Phoenix organization known. She was seen having a rather intense argument with fellow guard Diana Taurasi on the sidelines in May.

Diggins-Smith also posted a not-so-subtle clown emoji tweet in response to head coach Vanessa Hyguard’s comments about Taurasi not being an All-Star. She was also spotted shouting at Hyguard during a game against the Dallas Wings in June.

Even so, the All-WNBA guard looks to be committed to Phoenix’s playoff push given her recent play. The Mercury are coming off a 85-75 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Sunday. The 11-16 squad hasn’t been able to string together consecutive wins since the start of July.

Phoenix will get a chance to shorten the margin of the playoff race once more on Friday against the Seattle Storm.