Skylar Diggins on How She Handles a Loss: 'You Really Kind of Find Out Who You Are'
Skylar Diggins, 26, has scored way beyond the WNBA. In addition to being a Dallas Wings guard, she’s a Nike ambassador, philanthropist, and author, and she was one of the first athletes to sign with Jay Z’s sports management company, Roc Nation Sports. Here, Sky (as she’s known to friends) talks self-care, dealing with setbacks, and the gift that made her say yes.
On her proudest moment
“Getting my diploma from Notre Dame. That was really important to me and my family: being one of the first in my immediate family to graduate.”
On how she calms her nerves
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“Turn to music. That’s my escape. I just put my headphones on and disconnect from what’s going on around me.”
On a health lesson she wishes she’d learned sooner
“The importance of warming up and rest and recovery. I tore my ACL [in 2005], so that has a lot to do with it. I was feeling young when I first got to the league, jumping on the floor, not really warming up, not taking care of my body properly. Now I see how key rest is.”
On what her friends say about her
“[That I] work hard. And that I have a sense of humor and can get along with anybody. At least I hope they would say that!”
On learning how to deal with losing
“Easier said than done! But when that moment happens, you really kind of find out who you are. It was something that I had to learn at a young age. I hated losing—maybe even more than I loved winning. I still have to have moments where I have to think, ‘OK, it’s a game.'”
On her most surprising hobby
“I don’t know—bowling? I’m hit or miss. I either can’t break 100 or I manage a 215.”
On what she wants to do in the new year
“Learn to only focus on controlling the things I can control. Too often we stress about things we really can’t control, and it just makes us put unnecessary worry and pressure on ourselves.”
On her winning POV
“Anytime I’ve come up short was just a hurdle I had to get over to be where I am today.”
On her favorite gift ever
“My engagement ring. I got engaged this past summer. It topped any gifts I’ve ever received, even though I did get some good ones. I once got a life-size Barbie and an Easy-Bake oven for Christmas. But my ring tops them, obviously.”
On the person she can’t believe she was able to meet
“Beyoncé. She was super dope.”