Skylar Diggins Just Dropped 24 Points, But Toronto's Star Rookie is Out and Their Commissioner's Cup Hopes Are On Thin Ice

Holy cow, Seattle sports fans, did you see what went down Friday night? The Chicago Sky, who’ve been stuck in a serious slump, finally broke their five-game losing streak with an 85-80 win over the Connecticut Sun, and it was ALL thanks to Skylar Diggins dropping a massive 24 points! But just as the Sky are trying to climb out of that hole, their next opponent, the Toronto Tempo, just got some brutal news with their rookie star Kiki Rice sidelined. Get ready for a wild Sunday showdown because this one just got a whole lot spicier.

Diggins On Fire and the Sky's Grind

Man, Diggins needed a night like that. She poured in 24 points, grabbing that win over the Sun, and you could feel the relief. Before that game, the Sky were sitting at a tough 4-6, but Diggins was averaging 15.2 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds. She didn't mince words after the game either, saying, "My game plan was for me to play better." She knows the deal, right? "We've faced a lot of adversity. There are things out of our control and things that are in our control. I was trying to be aggressive and impose my will." That's the mentality you want to see! The Sky are battling it out with a ton of injuries, too. Gabriela Jaquez, Courtney Vandersloot, and Rickea Jackson all missed Friday's game with knee issues, and DiJonai Carrington was out with a foot injury. Despite all that, they're pushing forward. Diggins summed it up perfectly, "We want to make sure we are raising our ceiling and our floor. What is our standard of who we are going to be and what is our identity on both sides of the basketball." They're 1-1 in Commissioner's Cup play, so they're fighting for every win.

Tempo Takes a Hit While Sabally Steps Up

Meanwhile, the expansion Toronto Tempo, currently at 5-5, just took a big blow. They lost 97-82 to the New York Liberty on Wednesday, snapping a two-game winning streak. But the real gut punch? Their rookie sensation, Kiki Rice, the No. 6 pick in the 2026 draft, is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 left ankle sprain, sustained in that Liberty game. She chips in 12.7 points a game, so that’s a huge loss. Even her former coach, Sandy Brondello, who coached the Liberty from 2022-25, commented, "She's a tough kid, but yeah, it's unfortunate." Brittney Sykes leads the Tempo with 19.6 points per game, and Marina Mabrey adds 18.5. But keep an eye on Nyara Sabally, who averages 11.8 points and 5.4 rebounds. She dropped a career-high 29 points in a 111-104 win against Chicago back on May 27. Sabally gives a ton of credit to Brondello, saying, "She's a really players-first coach. She really tries to prioritize the players and also wants to work with them. It's not like a dictatorship. It's always an open line of communication, which helps building that trust." Sabally even won a championship with Brondello in New York in 2024. The Tempo need that leadership now more than ever, especially since they're 0-1 in Commissioner's Cup play.

So what's next? The Sky face the Tempo on Sunday in Toronto, and this game just got a whole lot more interesting. Can Diggins and the injury-riddled Sky keep that momentum rolling and improve their 1-1 Cup record? Or will Sykes and Sabally rally the Tempo, despite losing their rookie phenom, and get their first Cup win? This isn't just another game, folks. This is about establishing early season identity and who wants it more. You can bet I'll be watching!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.