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Fans Tout Jewell Loyd vs Skylar Diggins-Smith Unrivaled Showdown After Storm Turmoil

Seattle Storm teammates Jewell Loyd and Skylar Diggins-Smith are going at it on the Unrivaled court after offseason drama between them.
Grant Young|
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) greets Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd (24) after beating them 87-78 at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday, June 16, 2024.
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) greets Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd (24) after beating them 87-78 at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Sunday, June 16, 2024. | Michael Chow / USA TODAY NETWORK

The first ever Unrivaled game has already brought the drama.

Matchup No. 1 is between the Mist BC and Lunar Owls BC. While this game is compelling because it's a showdown between Unrivaled co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, there's a much juicier storyline that has surfaced during this game.

Many fans will remember that Seattle Storm star guard Jewell Loyd requested a trade from the Storm earlier this offseason. This came after multiple instances of drama within the Storm's organization.

The Storm coaching staff was previously under investigation for alleged player mistreatment, of which they were eventually cleared. With Loyd's reported trade request coming immediately after. Thus furthering the assumption that Loyd was one of the players unhappy with the coaches.

And in the midst of this turmoil the friction between the Loyd and her teammate Skylar Diggins-Smith became apparent due to both the reporting on the matter and the latter's activity on social media.

WNBA legend and former Storm player Tina Thompson even made a scathing Instagram post that seemed to be directed at Loyd (given it referenced her exact shooting percentages) which wrote, "Using your assumed power to harm others is always an attack on yourself. You never win! Your wrong will never be made right. Accept failure and move on!"

Diggins-Smith commented on the post, writing, "A word 🤌🏽".

Jewell Loyd and Skylar Diggins-Smith are facing each other in Unrivaled right now, which is the first time they've shared the court since all this drama.

And Loyd is currently cooking her likely soon to be former WNBA teammate on the Unrivaled court. She leads all scorers with 25 points after two quarters (Diggins-Smith has 11 points), and the two have gone head-to-head multiple times.

At the end of the first half, Loyd swatted one of Diggins-Smith's shots.

Fans are loving this showdown between the two for obvious reasons.

"JEWELL’S BLOCK ON SKY ???

"OH MY GOD

"THAT WAS PERSONAL," X user Vanshay Murdock wrote.

"Clear this shit out and let Skylar and Jewell go 1v1 damn the 3v3," added another.

"JL treating Skylar like she stole her team and she’s upset about it," a third wrote along with a gif of an intrigued Russell Westbrook.

Time will tell whether Loyd gets the last laugh on this Unrivaled Friday.

Published | Modified
Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.

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