Who doesn’t adore a love story? And that’s exactly what the former Phoenix Mercury guard gave us back in 2016, when she was proposed to by Daniel Smith inside the Mary Tomas Gallery in Dallas, Texas. Just consider the love between them—they tied the knot the following year in Chicago. It truly was something special as the bride looked stunning in a cap-sleeve lace gown and the groom donned a navy and black tuxedo! But not every love story ends on a good note—and the same is true for the couple. After eight years of marriage, they’ve finally decided to part ways. But why now, after eight years?

Well, it all began earlier this year in March, when Diggins-Smith quietly filed for divorce from her husband in King County Superior Court in Washington. To her, the marriage was “irretrievably broken,” and that was reason enough. As reported by PEOPLE, they have agreed that Smith will pay child support by way of daycare expenses, educational expenses, and post-secondary school (college or vocational school) expenses.

Once a pillar of calm, she’s now operating under the intense scrutiny of both fans and the media. The Seattle Storm guard’s name change—dropping “Smith” and returning to simply Skylar Diggins—was confirmed during media day on April 29, where she addressed the press with candor, yet kept it classy.

“I just want to be called Skylar Diggins again,” she said, smiling gently. “Some of y’all have been doing that anyway.”

Behind that smile, however, is a decade-long relationship quietly unraveling. But the question is, where did it all go wrong?

Once a strong bond, Skylar Diggins Smith moves towards new beginnings

No doubt, Skylar Diggins and Daniel Smith were once one of the WNBA’s most admired couples. Their story began in South Bend, Indiana, where they met as student-athletes at Notre Dame. It was when Skylar dominated the basketball court, and Daniel played wide receiver on the football team.

But as Skylar’s career soared to new heights, Daniel’s athletic journey was cut short by injury. Still, he carved out a new path for himself in the art world, eventually launching Doperman Studios in Dallas. Their 2017 wedding at the Museum of Contemporary Art felt like a perfect reflection of their bond—art, love, and ambition coming together.

Like any couple, they weathered their share of challenges, but they stayed committed, side by side. Their love deepened with the arrival of their two children in the years that followed, and they took on the joys and responsibilities of parenthood together.

As Skylar chased greatness in the WNBA, Daniel often took on the role of a stay-at-home dad. When their son, Seven, was born in 2019, it felt like the ultimate expression of their love. But motherhood brought the 34-year-old unexpected battles. She later revealed that she played an entire WNBA season while dealing with postpartum depression—and did it without the support of her team at the time, the Dallas Wings.

In 2023, they welcomed their daughter, marking another beautiful chapter. By then, Daniel’s art career had gained momentum, while Skylar was facing free agency and advocating publicly for better protections for mothers and more open conversations about mental health in the league.

Outwardly, everything still looked picture-perfect. They remained united in the public eye until late 2024. That’s when things shifted. And then, reports surfaced that Skylar had quietly filed for divorce in November. So, no one knows when the bond broke. But if anyone thought that would break her, they don’t know Skylar Diggins.

She’s been through the fire before—and this time, she’s coming out stronger. As she told reporters this week, “My focus is my kids. My focus is being a good teammate. That’s all I’m trying to be right now.”

She’s not hiding. She’s re-centering. She’s just Skylar Diggins. And that matters.