Kia Nurse is a Canadian point guard who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks as of 2024. The 6 ft veteran point guard was drafted 10th overall in the first round of the 2018 WNBA Draft by the New York Liberty, and she quickly adapted to the professional league. After a rookie season coming off the bench, Nurse became a starter for Liberty in her second season and was named a WNBA All-Star in 2019.
Since being drafted, Nurse has been a solid starting point guard in the WNBA, but she truly shined overseas in Australia's WNBL. Playing for the Canberra Capitals, Nurse won two WNBL championships in 2019 and 2020, and she was named the WNBL's MVP in 2020. Internationally, Nurse has been a key player for the Canadian national team. She has represented Canada in several FIBA tournaments and at the Olympics, including the 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Games.
Where did Kia Nurse attend college?
Kia Nurse attended the University of Connecticut, where she played for four years for their Huskies team. In her freshman season, she played in all 39 games and scored 399 total points which ranked as the 10th highest for a UConn freshman in their history. From the get-go, she was a contributor on both ends of the floor, with 108 assists and 55 steals. Her outstanding performances in freshman season also earned her two ACC Freshman of the Week honors. In her sophomore year (2015-16), Nurse was the only player to start every game for UConn, with many of her best performances coming against highly ranked teams. In 2015 and 2016, Nurse played alongside future WNBA stars such as Breanna Stewart, Gabby Williams, and Napheesa Collier in star-studded Huskies teams.
During her junior year (2016-17), Nurse led the American Athletic Conference in three-point shooting, connecting a terrific 46.2% on her 3s. She was also a leader in free throw percentage at 85.5%. Nurse delivered a historic performance in an NCAA Tournament game against Syracuse when she knocked down a record-tying nine three-pointers. She finished the 2017 NCAA tournament with 22 made three-pointers, which was a record back then. As a senior, Nurse took on a leadership role and developed into an elite defender, earning honors such as AAC Defensive Player of the Year and WBCA Defensive Player of the Year. Her consistent contributions on both offense and defense made her one of UConn's most reliable players throughout her four-year college career.
Kia Nurse College Stats
Kia Nurse High School
Kia Nurse attended St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary High School in Hamilton, Ontario, where she led the team to three consecutive OFSAA high school championships from 2011 to 2013. Alongside her high school team, Nurse also played for the Hamilton Transway Club team and won seven consecutive provincial championships.
FAQs
A. Kia Nurse's parents are Richard and Cathy Nurse. Richard Nurse played in the Canadian Football League (CFL), while his wife, Cathy was a star basketball player at McMaster University in Canada.
A. Kia Nurse played collegiate basketball at University of Connecticut from 2014 to 2018.
A. Kia Nurse is 28 years old, as of September 2024.
A. Kia Nurse attended St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary High School in Hamilton, Ontario.
A. Kia Nurse averaged 11.4 points, 2.6 assists, 3 rebounds at University of Connecticut from 2014 to 2018.
