Many WNBA players hold immense knowledge about the game. However, some still fall short of the players who come to the league from a different land, carrying a different culture and diversity of experience. Such is the case with the LA Sparks’ new guard, Kia Nurse.

Kia Nurse was recently acquired by the West Coast team from the Seattle Storm. In return, the Sparks will send their first-round pick of the 2026 draft to Seattle. “Kia is a versatile veteran guard who can play multiple positions and brings a toughness and physicality that will fit in perfectly with our team,” were Curt Miller’s words, describing how Nurse can be an invaluable asset to the team. The addition of Nurse has brought much-needed depth to the team’s roster, and let’s find out why.

Meet the seasoned WNBA guard, Kia Nurse

Kia Nurse started playing basketball at the tender age of four. More so, by the time she turned seven, she was already a part of a competitive league. Brought by athletic parents, Richard and Cathy, Kia’s inclination towards sports was natural. Her father used to play in the CFL, while her mother played basketball at McMaster University. The youngest of their three children, Kia grew up playing around her sister Tamika, who also played basketball for Oregon and Bowling Green. Her brother, Darnell, is a professional hockey player. Additionally, Nurse is the niece of Donovan McNabb, former quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Hamilton, Ontario, native carried her high school team to three consecutive OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) championships from 2011 to 2013. During high school, she also played for her hometown’s Transway Club team, winning 7 consecutive championships. Exemplifying her game, Nurse secured multiple gold medals and honors for the Ontario Provincial team in high school. Interestingly, when the time came for Kia to choose a college, she narrowed down her options to four teams.

Her preferences included UConn, Penn State, Indiana, and Kentucky. However, Nurse had already made that choice when she was in the 7th grade, opting for UConn. Later, Nurse revealed that it was her childhood goal to play for the Huskies. She began her collegiate career at UConn, under the guidance of head coach Geno Auriemma. At the time, her teammates were none other than Breanna Stewart, Gabby Williams, and Napheesa Collier. During her 4 years of college (2014–2018), Kia Nurse became the consecutive NCAA Champion by leading the Huskies to back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 (her freshman and sophomore seasons).

In her senior year, Nurse led the Huskies to a national title run and reached the Final Four. That season, she was named the NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year and All-ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Moreover, Kia Nurse was voted to the First Team All-Conference and the CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team. She tallied her college career with 1251 points, 267 rebounds, 330 assists, 22 blocks, and 129 steals. Then, it was time to establish her name in the big league.

When Nurse was drafted to the WNBA

Concluding her collegiate career, Kia Nurse entered the 2018 WNBA draft. She was selected by the New York Liberty as the 10th overall pick. Making the team alongside Tina Charles and Epiphany Prince, Nurse made her WNBA debut and dropped a double-digit score of 17 points. However, she lost the game to the Chicago Sky by a score of 80-76.

Later on in her rookie season, Nurse scored 34 points against Indiana Fever. This season-high score amongst the WNBA rookies contributed to Liberty’s 87-81 OT win. In 2019, her second year, Kia Nurse was voted as the starter for the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time. She became the third Canadian athlete to be voted for that.

Besides Nurse’s illustrious career in the WNBA, her journey includes several landmarks. From her childhood, elementary school, high school, college, and the milestones she touched along the way, Kia Nurse has had an illustrious national team career. Her trajectory to success started when she was a freshman in high school.

From the New York Liberty to the Seattle Storm, Nurse has been a part of several WNBA teams. Hence, her knowledge and understanding make her one of the WNBA’s seasoned players who could benefit manifolds from the Sparks in the season ahead.