The Toronto Tempo have signed Kia Nurse
“Little me in Hamilton 20 years ago—this would have been in my wildest dreams,” Nurse said today on social media
The Toronto Tempo confirmed some thrilling news today: Kia Nurse, who is originally from Hamilton, has signed on to join the team.
A media release published by the Tempo referred to Nurse as “one of the most accomplished and recognizable players in Canadian basketball.” The news marks the first Canadian signing to the team.
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“I am so excited to finally be able to play on home soil and play for Canada’s first-ever WNBA team,” Nurse posted on social media. “Little me in Hamilton 20 years ago—this would have been in my wildest dreams. I wouldn’t have even thought this was a possibility.”
In the statement, general manager Monica Wright Rogers said, “Kia represents everything this franchise stands for. She’s a world-class athlete, a proven professional, and someone who has helped grow the game in Canada at every level. Having a Canadian player of her stature join Canada’s first WNBA team is incredibly special, and it reinforces our commitment to building a team the entire country can rally behind.”
Nurse previously played for Canada’s senior women’s national team and has represented Canada at three Olympic Games. She spent last season with the Chicago Sky.
The Toronto Tempo’s inaugural WNBA home opener is set to be played on May 8.
Carly Lewis is a journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times and the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Wired, Interview Magazine, Pitchfork, Elle, and Maclean’s, where she is a contributing editor. Her work has been recognized by the National Magazine Awards and the Digital Publishing Awards. She reports on city life, culture—including what people do online—politics, art and crime. She received the Dave Greber Freelance Writers Award for “The Murder of Ashley Wadsworth,” an investigative feature about a Canadian teenager who was killed by a man she met on social media, published by Maclean’s.
