The WNBA's Western Conference race may have been altered fairly radically when Tulsa guard Skylar Diggins was lost for the season with a right knee ACL injury.
Diggings was drafted third overall in the 2013 draft, one of the "three to see'' along with Brittney Griner and Elena Delle Donne.
Digging was hurt while chasing down a rebound in the final minute of Tulsa's victory over Seattle on Sunday. Tulsa won that game, its eighth straight victory, keeping the Shock atop the Western Conference.
When a player of Diggins' talent – her star was rising along with Tulsa's – gets hurt, it is felt all around the league.
"It's heartbreaking news," said Lynx star Seimone Augustus.
She should know. Augustus was off to a tremendous start in 2009, averaging 21 points and shooting 57 percent from the field through five games. Not coincidentally, the Lynx got off to a 4-1 start. But Augustus tore an ACL in the sixth game and was lost for the season.
"Numerous top players have been through the injury,'' Augustus said. "A lot of us found a way to bounce back after the injury and our career kind of took off after that. Hopefully Skylar will have that same mentality.''
Diggins is a former college teammate of Lynx forward Devereaux Peters and they remain friends. Augustus said she was going to get Diggins' address from Peters and plans to send flowers and a note.