Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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52 OCT. 12, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE A fter missing all of the 2 0 2 3 W N BA s e a s o n following the birth of her second child, former Notre Dame legend turned Seattle Storm point guard Skylar Diggins-Smith returned to the league for her 10th sea- son in 2024, and didn't miss a beat. Playing her first season with the Storm, Diggins- Smith finished third on the team in scoring at 15.1 points per game, while add- ing 6.4 assists and 2.6 re- bounds per contest to earn WNBA Comeback Player of the Year honors. Talk about making an immediate impact with her new team, the 2013 first- ro u n d d ra f t p i c k ( t h i rd overall), and two-time Irish All-American set a Seattle single-season franchise record with 257 assists, her career high. Those 6.4 as- sists per game were fourth-best in the WNBA, and her 36 blocked shots led the league among all guards. One of the all-time best passers in WNBA history, Diggins-Smith, 34, col- lected her 1,500th career assist this sea- son, making her one of only 11 WNBA players all time to reach that milestone. Diggins-Smith relocated to the Se- attle Storm after earning two All-Star appearances during her three seasons with the Phoenix Mercury. The pride of South Bend, Diggins- Smith led the Irish to the Final Four three times (2011-13) and has since become a six-time WNBA All-Star, and a four-time first-team All-WNBA honoree. When the Storm trade became offi- cial on Feb. 1, 2024, Seattle head coach Noelle Quinn welcomed Diggins-Smith with open arms. "I am beyond excited for the oppor- tunity to coach Skylar, one of the best point guards in the history of our game," Quinn said in a statement. "Skylar is an ultimate competitor, elite playmaker, and an excellent defender. Adding Sky- lar to our dynamic backcourt will im- mediately elevate our roster." Indeed it did. Diggins-Smith did her best work this season down the stretch, when Seattle protected its playoff spot and entered the postseason with a chance to win its first WNBA title since 2020. Following the three-week Olympic break from July 21-Aug. 14, Diggins- Smith averaged 18.5 points, 6.2 assists and 2.0 steals over the Storm's final 15 regular-season games. The trade to Seattle reunited Diggins- Smith with fellow Irish alumna Jewell Loyd. The two won a Big East champi- onship together at Notre Dame in 2013 and they also struck gold together at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as members of the U.S. Women's Basketball team. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Kyle Hamilton (Played at Notre Dame 2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens, NFL The 2022 first-round draft pick made 12 tackles, including 4 disruptive defensive stops, in a 28-25 win over the Cowboys Sept. 22. The Greece native and Atlanta product also recorded a quarterback hit as he continues his push for a second straight first-team All-Pro season. Through three games, Hamilton was second on the Ravens with 21 tackles. Cole Kmet (from 2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears, NFL After a slow start to the season, the 2020 second-round draft pick enjoyed his best game of the year in a 21-16 loss to the Colts Sept. 22. The Chicagoland native finished the game with 10 receptions for 97 yards and 1 touchdown. Through three games, Kmet had caught passes on 15 of his 17 targets, perhaps making a case for more attention from Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams, NFL The 2022 fifth-round draft pick enjoyed the best game of his season with 3 clutch touchdowns in a 27-24 comeback win over the 49ers Sept. 22. With his Rams trailing 24-17, Williams scored his third touchdown late in the second half to tie the game at 24 before the Rams won it with a last-second field goal. The St. Louis native finished with 114 total yards. Skylar Diggins-Smith Named WNBA Comeback Player Of The Year I R I S H I N T H E P R O S IRISH IN THE WNBA Following is a capsule look at how the eight former Irish players finished their 2024 WNBA regular seasons. Arike Ogunbowale, G, Dallas (22.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game) Jewell Loyd, G, Seattle (19.7, 4.5 and 3.6) Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas (15.8, 4.4 and 5.3) Skylar Diggins-Smith, G, Seattle (15.1, 2.6 and 6.4) Kayla McBride, G, Minnesota (15.0, 2.6 and 3.2) Marina Mabrey, G, Connecticut (14.4, 4.4 and 4.1) Lindsay Allen, G, Chicago (6.6, 2.0 and 3.9) Brianna Turner, F, Chicago (1.2, 2.0 and 0.4) Diggins-Smith — who collected her 1,500th career assist this sea- son, making her one of only 11 WNBA players all time to reach that milestone — was named the WNBA's Comeback Player of the Year. GRAPHIC COURTESY SEATTLE STORM