The WNBA’s Canadians are ready for Paris

While a lot of the talk about women’s Olympic basketball rightfully has been about Team USA, there is another country building a pretty strong team: Canada.

After a disappointing early exit at the Tokyo Olympics, the Senior Canadian Women’s National Team redeemed themselves with a historic fourth-place finish at the FIBA World Cup in September 2022. Yet, their Olympic hopes were nearly dashed in February when they almost did not make it out of the Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Sopron, Hungary. It took a more than 20-point comeback victory from Spain to help Canada squeeze into the Olympics.

Now that Canada is going to Paris, they are more motivated than ever to do well. There are many returning players, as well as the potential for some new faces to make the squad. And though the final roster has not yet been officially announced, the WNBA’s four Canadians are all but a lock to make the team.

Bridget Carleton, Kia Nurse, Aaliyah Edwards and Laeticia Amihere are still with their WNBA teams, but will most likely join Canada closer to the Olympic Games.

Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx)

Bridget Carleton is having a fantastic year with the Minnesota Lynx, and the guard out of Chatham, Ontario is in peak form heading into the Olympics.

She scored a team high 23 points in the Lynx’s Commissioner’s Cup Championship victory, shooting 6-for-8 from 3-point range and helping Minnesota secure the win over the New York Liberty. She’s recently shifted into the starting lineup for the Lynx, and their head coach Cheryl Reeve has emphasized time and time again how much trust she has in Carleton.

Carleton is shooting 44 percent from 3 this season, something that will surely come in handy heading into the Olympics. The thing that Canada struggled with in the Olympic Qualifying tournament was shooting, especially from distance. Carleton’s hot streak will help get them going once she joins the team.

As she gets a little more professional experience, Carleton’s responsibilities on the national team increase as well. She is a part of the next generation of veterans on Canada’s team, and in Paris she will hopefully show off her leadership.

Kia Nurse (Los Angeles Sparks)

Kia Nurse has been having a good season with her new team in LA. With a young roster, Nurse has stepped up as one of the Los Angeles Sparks’ vet leaders—something she has been on the Canadian team over the past few years.

Now a few years post-ACL recovery, Nurse is looking more like herself, shooting well from 3-point range and being a strong defensive presence for the Sparks. She sat out of February’s Qualifying Tournament with an injury, which was one of the reasons the team struggled. They missed her defense, her shooting and her on-court leadership. Heading into the Olympics, Nurse will be a huge part of the effort.

Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics)

The Canadian rookie has been balling in the DMV this season. Aaliyah Edwards was drafted No. 6 overall to the Washington Mystics in this year’s draft, and with Washington’s lengthy injury list, she has been playing a lot of minutes.

Fans who have followed Edwards from her days at UConn and with the Canadian national team knew that she would be pro-ready immediately. Now, fans of the Mystics are getting to see for themselves how Edwards can be a huge presence in the paint.

She is averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game as a rookie, and will be a two-time Olympian when she joins Canada to head to Paris. While she did not get too much playing time in Tokyo in 2021, she will have more responsibility on the team now. Edwards still will likely play behind vets like Natalie Achonwa and Kayla Alexander, but she will provide a great source of depth for Canada.

Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream)

Laeticia Amihere gets limited minutes for the Atlanta Dream, but that doesn’t mean she is not a hooper. The South Carolina graduate and 2022 NCAA national champion can make an impact with her speed and driving ability, and her length helps her get past her defender.

When she plays for Canada, she often makes an immediate impact on the stat sheet. She’s high-energy, active and feisty—all things that lend well to FIBA-style basketball. International basketball can get gritty, is refereed differently and rewards players with strength. It’s unfortunate that Amihere isn’t getting more minutes in the WNBA, but there ins’t any doubt she will be ready when her name is called for Canada.

There are high hopes for Canada heading into the Summer Olympics. The Canadian team has a lot of talent, but also a lot to prove. It may be the last ride for some iconic Canadian hoopers as well, ones who have been a huge part of the growth of this program.

For now, these four WNBA players are still with their squads, but once they join Canada, it’s game on!