August 5th 2023.
Skylar Diggins-Smith, the Phoenix Mercury guard, recently alleged on social media that she had not been allowed to use the team’s facilities while on maternity leave. Diggins-Smith posted in response to a Twitter user who was disappointed the team had not wished her a happy birthday that the Mercury and herself did not have any contact beyond the team paying her salary. Diggins-Smith followed this up by stating that she was not allowed to use the team’s resources such as a massage therapist, strength and conditioning, or team chefs.
When asked about the situation on August 3, ahead of the Mercury’s game against the Atlanta Dream, interim head coach Nikki Blue commented that Diggins-Smith is currently on maternity leave and that the team is giving her space. When pressed further about the validity of Diggins-Smith’s allegations, Blue responded that they were focused on the game against Atlanta.
The Mercury have not publicly commented on the situation, but it brings up an issue that has been prevalent in the WNBA in recent years. In January 2023, Dearica Hamby accused the Las Vegas Aces of discrimination against her due to her pregnancy. After the WNBA investigated the matter, it was ruled that the Aces had violated the league’s rules on workplace policies and impermissible benefits. The team was stripped of its 2025 first-round pick and head coach Becky Hammon was suspended for two games.
The WNBA has since implemented a CBA that provides maternity benefits such as paid leave, child care stipends, larger housing, and other forms of support for the league’s mothers. However, there are still some teams who are not adhering to these regulations, which is what Diggins-Smith is facing with her current situation.
Retired WNBA player Sue Bird has commented on how some teams view pregnancy from a contract perspective, noting that teams don’t like to spend money on players and not get their money back on their cap. Bird suggested that both sides could potentially come up with a solution.
Diggins-Smith was actually an advocate for the policy that is now in place. In 2019, she revealed that she had played for the Dallas Wings organization while pregnant, and that the team had questioned her commitment. This prompted her to move to the Mercury, as she perceived them as an organization that cared about the health and safety of its mothers. Unfortunately, it appears as though she may have to fight for her rights once again.
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