It probably could be an overused cliché at times, but in her first All-Star Skills Challenge appearances, a resident Chicago Sky point guard shined bright like a diamond.
.@diamonddoesit1 gets her much-deserved hardware! 🏆
Congrats on winning the Skills Challenge at @ATT #WNBAAllStar Friday Night! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/kKbS0RuWcM
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2019
Diamond DeShields came from behind to eke out a victory over the Connecticut Sun’s Jonquel Jones in the final round of the skills competition. It looked like Jones would be the winner in this one after DeShields went 0 for 3 on her passes, but drained her 3-pointer and completing her course in 23.4 seconds.
First 🆙@jus242 🆚 @PHEEsespieces
📍 @ATT #WNBA Skills Challenge pic.twitter.com/ZPYRGWNBmn— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2019
Jones went to the final after defeating the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier in the first round, then bested Courtney Vandersloot, DeShields’ Sky teammate, in the semifinals.
*Narrator voice*: She did. https://t.co/rx65Ulk3Vr
— Connecticut Sun (@ConnecticutSun) July 27, 2019
DeShields earned victories over the Lynx’s Odyssey Sims in the opening round and the Atlanta Dream’s Elizabeth Williams in the semifinals.
🗣️Introducing your 2019 Skills Challenge Participants at @ATT #WNBAAllStar! 🔥
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/qMd231VL92
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2019
Introducing your #WNBA Skills Challenge contestants 👏 💯 pic.twitter.com/oFyo3E2s8W
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2019
BG OUT HERE DUNKING 😤💪 @ATT #WNBAAllStar Friday Night!
📺: @espn pic.twitter.com/tyls86TuHT
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 26, 2019
What plenty of people are still talking about from Friday night was Brittney Griner’s dunk in the opening round that prompted a raucous reaction from the fans in attendance at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center.
DeShields won $10,000 for Hoops2O – Waterboys, a charity that builds wells of water in Africa.
Flex on them, Skills Champ. 💪#WNBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/9wBjOVChrr
— Chicago Sky (@wnbachicagosky) July 26, 2019
Thanks to @TheWNBPA for adding to the celebration tonight for donating $10K to the charity of @strick40‘s and @diamonddoesit1‘s choice! pic.twitter.com/VdWcJJrXfb
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 27, 2019