Skylar Diggins is over the talk of the pressure being on her. The former Notre Dame star says she wants to be a tough competitor for the Tulsa Shock and stressed that her time in college prepared her for the spotlight. Diggins was the third overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft, behind Phoenix’s Brittney Griner and Chicago’s Elena Della Donne. Diggins took time to speak with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on the Shock’s season outlook, her relationship with Jay-Z, and her feelings about being apart of the “3 to see” in preparation for her first WNBA game against the Atlanta Dream.
Q: What do you think will be the biggest adjustment you’ll have to make going from college to professional basketball?
A: Learning the system, learning my teammates and learning my coaches. Those will be the biggest adjustments I'll have to make. There a lot of different rules and lingo compared to college, and the speed of the game is different. We ran a lot at Notre Dame, so I'm OK with the conditioning. This game is a little more physical, but the biggest adjustment for me will be to learn the new system.
Q: Are you putting in any extra time in the weight room or doing anything different to prepare for the physicality of the game?
A: No, I'm not. I'm putting in the same time, just establishing my strength-and-conditioning schedule. I'm doing the same things that got me here. I don't think I need to bulk up or anything. I'm pretty comfortable with my playing weight, so I'm just going to maintain my strength and conditioning throughout the season.
Q: What was the first conversation you had with coach Gary Kloppenburg?
A: We talked about the things we could do this year with the team. We've been having conversations throughout training camp and the preseason to get to know each other. He has to learn what I like, and I have to learn him also. Coach Klop is a really good, defensive-minded coach. He's really excited about the opportunity we have this year with this team. I think this team could get a playoff spot and do great things in the league this year.
Q: Is there any added pressure on you or the team because you’re one of the “3 to see?”
A: Let's get this straight, I was one of the "three to see" in college. I hate to take away anything from any of the veterans in this league. We have a lot of great players in this league. So I don't know if that just carried into the league, but there are a lot of great players in this league for people to see.
Q: What’s the biggest asset that you’ll bring to this team?
A: I don't know. I don't know. I think I'm competitive. I'm a winner, and I came from a winning program. I don't know, but I know that I'm going to leave it all on the court and have a great time. I'm going to challenge my teammates every day in practice to get better. I'm going to practice what I preach and really put in the work to become the player and point guard that this team needs to win games. That's my goal.
Q: You signed to Roc Nation and the stories came out about Jay-Z giving you the Mercedes. What are your interactions with him like?
A: I talk to Jay every week. He's super cool. People always ask me 'what is he like?' I'm thankful to be signed to Roc Nation for so many reasons. He's awesome. He's one of the most humble people I've ever talked to. The gift was a complete surprise. I had no idea it was coming that day.
Q: Do you aspire to be a mogul after your playing days are over?
A: Absolutely. I love the game of basketball and I wish I could play it everyday, but there is going to come a day when I want to get married and start a family. I'm not going to be able to play the game forever, and I want to have a career outside of the game of basketball. So, I plan to keep my relationship with Roc Nation and hopefully learn from them and what they've done there.
Q: What’s the one thing you want to do in your first WNBA game?
A: I want to have fun. I get questions every day about the pressure of coming in with this draft class or how I'm going to make a difference. I come from humble beginnings, so it's a blessing to be in a situation where I get to live out my dream and play in the WNBA. So when I put that jersey on for the first regular-season game, I'm going to be so happy. I just want that to show on the court, that I'm having fun and having a good time. At the same time, I want to be aggressive, I want to be competitive and I want to win.
About the Author
