WNBA: Canadian stars prepared for impactful 2024 Paris Olympics

Whereas lots of the speak about ladies’s Olympic basketball rightfully has been about Crew USA, there’s one other nation constructing a fairly sturdy staff: Canada.

After a disappointing early exit on the Tokyo Olympics, the Senior Canadian Ladies’s Nationwide Crew redeemed themselves with a historic fourth-place end on the FIBA World Cup in September 2022. But, their Olympic hopes had been almost dashed in February once they virtually didn’t make it out of the Ladies’s Olympic Qualifying Match in Sopron, Hungary. It took a greater than 20-point comeback victory from Spain to assist Canada squeeze into the Olympics.

Now that Canada goes to Paris, they’re extra motivated than ever to do nicely. There are numerous returning gamers, in addition to the potential for some new faces to make the squad. And although the ultimate roster has not but been formally introduced, the WNBA’s 4 Canadians are all however a lock to make the staff.

Bridget Carleton, Kia Nurse, Aaliyah Edwards and Laeticia Amihere are nonetheless with their WNBA groups, however will almost definitely be part of Canada nearer to the Olympic Video games.

Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx)

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Bridget Carleton is having a unbelievable yr with the Minnesota Lynx, and the guard out of Chatham, Ontario is in peak type heading into the Olympics.

She scored a staff excessive 23 factors within the Lynx’s Commissioner’s Cup Championship victory, capturing 6-for-8 from 3-point vary and serving to Minnesota safe the win over the New York Liberty. She’s not too long ago shifted into the beginning lineup for the Lynx, and their head coach Cheryl Reeve has emphasised time and time once more how a lot belief she has in Carleton.

Carleton is capturing 44 p.c from 3 this season, one thing that can absolutely turn out to be useful heading into the Olympics. The factor that Canada struggled with within the Olympic Qualifying match was capturing, particularly from distance. Carleton’s scorching streak will assist get them going as soon as she joins the staff.

As she will get just a little extra skilled expertise, Carleton’s duties on the nationwide staff enhance as nicely. She is part of the subsequent technology of veterans on Canada’s staff, and in Paris she’s going to hopefully exhibit her management.

Kia Nurse (Los Angeles Sparks)

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Kia Nurse has been having a great season together with her new staff in LA. With a younger roster, Nurse has stepped up as one of many Los Angeles Sparks’ vet leaders—one thing she has been on the Canadian staff over the previous few years.

Now a couple of years post-ACL restoration, Nurse is trying extra like herself, capturing nicely from 3-point vary and being a powerful defensive presence for the Sparks. She sat out of February’s Qualifying Match with an harm, which was one of many causes the staff struggled. They missed her protection, her capturing and her on-court management. Heading into the Olympics, Nurse might be an enormous a part of the trouble.

Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics)

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The Canadian rookie has been balling within the DMV this season. Aaliyah Edwards was drafted No. 6 total to the Washington Mystics on this yr’s draft, and with Washington’s prolonged harm listing, she has been enjoying lots of minutes.

Followers who’ve adopted Edwards from her days at UConn and with the Canadian nationwide staff knew that she could be pro-ready instantly. Now, followers of the Mystics are attending to see for themselves how Edwards could be a enormous presence within the paint.

She is averaging 8.8 factors and 6.3 rebounds per sport as a rookie, and might be a two-time Olympian when she joins Canada to move to Paris. Whereas she didn’t get an excessive amount of enjoying time in Tokyo in 2021, she could have extra duty on the staff now. Edwards nonetheless will probably play behind vets like Natalie Achonwa and Kayla Alexander, however she’s going to present an awesome supply of depth for Canada.

Laeticia Amihere (Atlanta Dream)

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Laeticia Amihere will get restricted minutes for the Atlanta Dream, however that doesn’t imply she just isn’t a hooper. The South Carolina graduate and 2022 NCAA nationwide champion could make an affect together with her velocity and driving means, and her size helps her get previous her defender.

When she performs for Canada, she usually makes an instantaneous affect on the stat sheet. She’s high-energy, lively and feisty—all issues that lend nicely to FIBA-style basketball. Worldwide basketball can get gritty, is refereed in a different way and rewards gamers with energy. It’s unlucky that Amihere isn’t getting extra minutes within the WNBA, however there ins’t any doubt she might be prepared when her title is named for Canada.

There are excessive hopes for Canada heading into the Summer season Olympics. The Canadian staff has lots of expertise, but additionally quite a bit to show. It might be the final trip for some iconic Canadian hoopers as nicely, ones who’ve been an enormous a part of the expansion of this program.

For now, these 4 WNBA gamers are nonetheless with their squads, however as soon as they be part of Canada, it’s sport on!