Kia Nurse
A sharpshooting guard whose clutch performances on the international stage have made her a cornerstone of Canadian basketball.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Canadian basketball player·Birthday: February 22·Millennials
Biography
Kia Nurse scored 20 points in the 2015 FIBA Americas final, leading Canada to an Olympic berth. Born in 1996 in Hamilton, Ontario, she grew up in a family of elite athletes—her father played in the CFL, her mother was a college basketball star, and her aunt played in the WNBA. At the University of Connecticut, Nurse won two NCAA championships and shot 43 percent from three-point range over four seasons. The New York Liberty selected her 10th overall in the 2018 WNBA draft. She later played for the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm before joining the Chicago Sky in 2024. Internationally, Nurse has been Canada's leading scorer in multiple Olympic qualifying tournaments and at the 2020 Tokyo Games. She also works as a basketball analyst for TSN, bringing the same precision to commentary that she brings to the floor.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Kia was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Kia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two NCAA national championships with the University of Connecticut in 2015 and 2016.
- Led Canada to a historic gold medal at the 2015 FIBA Americas Women's Championship, earning tournament MVP honors.
- Scored a Canadian Olympic record 25 points in a victory over Serbia at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
- Named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2018 after being drafted 10th overall by the New York Liberty.
Did You Know?
Her brother, Darnell Nurse, is a defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers in the NHL.
She played volleyball at an elite level in high school before fully committing to basketball.
She once scored 29 points in a single quarter during a high school game in Ontario.
“I've always been someone who wants the ball in big moments.”
