Kia Nurse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kia Nurse

Nurse playing for the Canada women's national basketball team in 2018
No. 10 – Los Angeles Sparks
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1996-02-22) February 22, 1996 (age 29) Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
High school	St. Thomas More (Hamilton, Ontario)
Listed height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight	181 lb (82 kg)
Career information
College	UConn (2014–2018)
NBA Draft	2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 10th overall
Selected by the New York Liberty
Pro career	2018–present
League	WNBA
Career history
2018–2020	New York Liberty
2018–2020	Canberra Capitals
2021–2022	Phoenix Mercury
2023	Seattle Storm
2024–present	Los Angeles Sparks
Career highlights and awards
WNBA All-Star (2019) 2× WNBL champion (2019, 2020) WNBL Most Valuable Player (2020) 2× NCAA champion (2015, 2016) WBCA Defensive Player of the Year (2018) AAC Freshman of the Year (2015) AAC Defensive Player of the Year (2018)
Medals Women's basketball Representing  Canada FIBA Women's AmeriCup Gold 2015 Edmonton Gold 2017 Buenos Aires Silver 2013 Mexico Pan American Games Gold 2015 Toronto Team

Kia Nurse (born February 22, 1996) is a talented Canadian basketball player. She currently plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Kia is also a basketball expert who shares her insights on TSN. She has proudly represented the Canadian Women's National Basketball team and even played in the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Kia Nurse started playing basketball when she was just four years old. By age seven, she was already competing in a serious league. She attended St. Vincent de Paul Elementary School.

Kia played basketball at St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario. She helped her high school team win three championships in a row from 2011 to 2013. She also played for the Hamilton Transway Club team, winning seven provincial championships in a row.

College Basketball Journey

Kia Nurse played college basketball at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs, Connecticut. She was part of the famous Huskies team. There, she played for coach Geno Auriemma alongside amazing players like Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

About 50 colleges wanted Kia to play for them! She first narrowed her choices to four schools: Connecticut, Penn State, Indiana, and Kentucky. She eventually chose UConn. Kia later shared that playing for Connecticut had been a goal of hers since she was in Grade 7.

Professional Career Highlights

Playing in the WNBA

In the 2018 WNBA draft, Kia Nurse was picked tenth overall by the New York Liberty. She joined players like Tina Charles on the team. Kia made her WNBA debut on May 20, 2018, scoring 17 points. In June 2018, she scored an impressive 34 points, which was the most by any rookie that season.

In July 2019, Kia was chosen to start in the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game. This was a big honor and made her only the third Canadian player to be an All-Star. She also took part in the Three-Point Contest.

Kia was later traded to the Phoenix Mercury for the 2021 season. Sadly, she tore her ACL (a knee ligament) during the WNBA semifinals. This injury meant she missed the rest of the playoffs. The Mercury went on to lose in the finals. Kia missed the entire 2022 season because of her injury.

On January 31, 2024, Kia was traded from the Seattle Storm to the Los Angeles Sparks.

Playing for Team Canada

Youth National Team

Kia was invited to play for Canada's under-17 national team in 2012. This tournament was the FIBA Under-17 World Championship for Women in Amsterdam. She helped the team win third place, scoring almost 14 points per game.

Senior National Team

In 2013, Kia joined the senior national team for the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship for Women in Xalapa, Mexico. She helped Canada win a silver medal, averaging ten points per game.

Kia also played for the Canadian national team in the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women. The team finished in fifth place. Even though she was the youngest player, Kia played almost 22 minutes per game and was the team's fourth-highest scorer.

At the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Ontario, Kia was a key player for Team Canada. Canada won the gold medal, beating the United States in the final game. Kia was the star of that game, scoring 33 points! Her amazing performance led to her being chosen as the flag-bearer for the closing ceremonies.

Kia played for Canada again at the 2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship in Edmonton, Alberta. Canada won the gold medal, which also qualified them for the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Kia was the top scorer for Canada with 20 points and was named the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the entire event.

In 2016, Kia made her Olympic debut for Team Canada at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She also played for Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Kia Nurse's Achievements

Kia Nurse has achieved many great things in her basketball career. Here are some of her top awards and honors:

• She was a WNBA All-Star in 2019.
• She won two championships in the WNBL (Australia) in 2019 and 2020.
• She was named the WNBL Most Valuable Player in 2020.
• She won two NCAA championships with UConn in 2015 and 2016.
• She was named the WBCA Defensive Player of the Year in 2018.
• She won gold medals with Team Canada at the 2015 FIBA Americas Championship and the 2015 Pan American Games.

Personal Life and Family

Kia Nurse was born to Richard and Cathy Nurse and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. Her dad, Richard Nurse, played in the CFL (Canadian Football League). Her mom, Cathy Nurse, was also a basketball player.

Kia has two older siblings. Her sister, Tamika Nurse, played college basketball. Her brother, Darnell Nurse, is a professional hockey player. Kia's aunt, Raquel Nurse McNabb, is married to former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb. Her cousin, Sarah Nurse, is also a professional hockey player and has won Olympic medals for Team Canada.