With the Dallas Wings’ next game set to be vs. the New York Liberty, Skylar Diggins-Smith, who more than likely has to be considered the face of the Wings’ franchise, stopped by the ESPN morning show “Get Up!” which is based in New York.
(Video Credit: ESPN)
She mentioned that the next step for her and her team which qualified for the playoffs last season for the first time since the relocation from Tulsa is to get victories in the postseason.
The WNBA is the most competitive league in the world. Everybody’s trying to get a ‘ship, everybody’s trying to get a championship. So, for me just trying to be a leader and take us back to the playoffs.
–Skylar Diggins-Smith
With the addition of Liz Cambage in the offseason along with drafting Azura Stevens out of UConn, that has a good chance of happening.
Then, she mentioned what is always a hot-button topic within WNBA circles – player salaries and how they pale in comparison to those of their NBA brethren.
It’s unfortunate.
–Skylar Diggins-Smith
Along with mentioning the overseas schedule many players have to partaken in given how much more money they make overseas as opposed to stateside, Diggins-Smith talked about how the league continues to be criticized by those who simply have woman issues.
A lot of our naysayers are people who disparage women in sports in general. And we understand that as well. But we have strides to make. It’s great seeing us having highlights on the Worldwide Leader. And it’s all about exposure.
–Skylar Diggins-Smith
If you love basketball, you love the WNBA. And for us, we understand we still have strides to make in our young league and we’re growing our game both domestically and internationally.
Among those strides she mentioned was how the league was taking advantage of social platforms – notably the free streaming of games via Twitter.
Diggins-Smith also called on outlets, such as ESPN, to put more effort into hiring more women reporters in a recent interview with Atlanta-based Rolling Out Magazine. Her Wings were in Atlanta last week where they picked up a 78-70 win over the Dream.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
