Diana Taurasi’s Former Teammate Returns to WNBA Years After ‘Terrifying’ Head Injury originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Sparks have signed veteran guard Shey Peddy to a rest-of-season hardship contract on Saturday.
Peddy, 36, last played for the Phoenix Mercury from 2020-23 and averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game within 15.8 minutes of playing time in her last season. However, she only appeared in 15 games after suffering a concussion from taking a stiff elbow to the head and falling to the floor during a game against the Seattle Storm on Aug. 5, 2023.
Her teammate at the time and former WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi, who watched her stretchered out of the arena, described the moment as “terrifying.” After the incident, Peddy was removed from Phoenix’s rotation as she began to rehab from the injury.
She was initially drafted by the Chicago Sky in the 2012 WNBA draft in the second round with the 23rd overall pick after winning the Atlantic 10 Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year during her time with the Temple Owls.
She also played one season with the Washington Mystic in 2019 but only averaged 1.7 points per game in the 4.7 minutes she received. Peddy could be a solid signing for the Sparks, who are searching for more depth following guard Julie Allemand’s departure from the team due to overseas commitments to Belgium in the upcoming FIBA Women’s EuroBasket tournament.
Los Angeles also has guards such as Sarah Ashlee Barker, Rae Burrell, Odyssey Sims and Kelsey Plum. Following a 97-89 victory over the Las Vegas Aces on Wednesday, the Sparks are heading into their next game on Saturday against the Minnesota Lynx.
The Sparks and Lynx game will tip off at 1:00 p.m. ET from the Target Center in Minneapolis on CBS.
Related: Las Vegas Aces Release A’ja Wilson’s Teammate on Wednesday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 14, 2025, where it first appeared.