L.A. native Jordin Canada takes leading role for Sparks & More News Here

As if a come-from-behind extra time defeat of the defending champions on the street wasn’t a adequate manner for Jordin Canada to begin her Sparks profession, the previous Windward School and UCLA star obtained an additional heat welcome again to L.A. on social media the following day.

A Magic Johnson tweet.

“Yo this is crazy!” Canada wrote in response after the Lakers legend praised Canada’s addition to the Sparks following the workforce’s season-opening win over the Chicago Sky. “From Showtime himself!”

Taking inspiration from one other level guard, Canada hopes to usher within the subsequent thrilling period {of professional} basketball in her hometown. The speedy 5-foot-6 level guard who grew up down the road from the Grove is averaging a career-high 15.5 factors with 4.5 assists, leading the Sparks (2-2) to a strong begin on the street earlier than their residence opener Tuesday in opposition to the Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena.

A former star at Windward and UCLA, Canada can reprise her role as a go-to participant after 4 years of being Sue Bird’s understudy with the Seattle Storm. Her efficiency on opening night time — a profession high-tying 21 factors that included three late free throws to ship the sport to extra time because the Sparks knocked off the Sky in Chicago — confirmed Canada is greater than able to personal the limelight once more.

To UCLA coach Cori Close, Canada’s begin to the season wasn’t the delivery of a WNBA star, however extra a reminder of what Canada at all times had.

“When the pressure is the highest, she’s the one that’s going to want to make a play,” Close stated. “[She’s now] a new, a better, more improved version because she did do so much improving and growing and learning when she was in Seattle. But that’s the thing she’s always had: She’s had the competitive heart of a lion.”

The fiery competitor hides in an understated exterior. Sparks head coach Derek Fisher famous Canada is “more of a quiet leader.” But “there’s just something about the big moment that brings out something in little, shy Jordin,” Close stated, “and it’s ferocious.”

Canada’s fearless alter ego has already left a path of victory throughout her hometown.

As a freshman at Windward, she made the game-winning three-pointer with 47 seconds remaining to win this system’s first state title in Division IV. She went out as a senior with an Open Division championship, dismantling top-ranked Mater Dei for her third CIF Southern Section division title with 14 factors, seven rebounds, 9 assists and one turnover in a complete 61-46 rout.

Her UCLA profession began with one other title as she notched 31 factors and 4 steals whereas making 13 of 15 free throws to hold the Bruins to the WNIT championship. The Bruins parlayed the success into the college’s first consecutive Sweet 16 appearances (three in complete), which included UCLA’s first Elite Eight look since 1999. To get the Bruins over the hump, Canada, then a senior, scored 20 of her team-high 22 factors within the second half in opposition to Texas and added eight assists and 5 steals.

Even in a restricted role in Seattle, Canada flashed comparable moments of brilliance. As a rookie, Canada shot 35.7% from the sphere and 18.2% from three within the common season. Those numbers jumped as much as 47.7% and 36.4%, respectively, within the playoffs, serving to the Storm win the 2018 WNBA championship, the primary of two titles for Canada in her four-year tenure with the workforce.

Canada performed 115 regular-season video games with 48 begins and valiantly stepped in for Bird when the 12-time All-Star missed the 2019 season. But Canada averaged a modest 7.2 factors with 2.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Storm within the common season.

The Storm drafted Canada fifth total in 2018, envisioning that UCLA’s all-time help chief and second-leading scorer could be the inheritor obvious to Bird, who, in spite of everything, was 36 years previous on the time. The five-time Olympic gold medalist’s profession stretched right into a twenty first season this 12 months, and after 4 years of deferring to Olympians Bird, Breanna Stewart and Jewell Loyd, Canada confronted a troublesome free company resolution.

“I think Jordin was just really hungry to do more,” Bird stated, “to show more of herself, which is totally understandable.”

As Canada takes on a bigger role with the Sparks, each she and Bird famous the younger level guard’s maturation within the league. Canada reveled within the alternative to be taught the best way Bird performs and thinks in regards to the recreation. She took a backseat to look at find out how to lead on a championship workforce. Now in L.A., she has the keys and is slamming the accelerator.

The Sparks had been the WNBA’s lowest-scoring workforce final season, averaging 72.8 factors per recreation and 93.7 factors per 100 possessions. It was the bottom offensive effectivity in Sparks historical past, in keeping with Basketball Reference. Those marks are as much as 80 and 97.2 factors, respectively, to begin the season regardless of a troublesome four-game street journey to begin the 12 months with a roster lacking regular veteran guard Kristi Toliver, who’s teaching with the Dallas Mavericks within the NBA playoffs, and sharpshooting wing Katie Lou Samuelson, who’s ending her abroad season.

With a promising begin to the season, Johnson, a workforce proprietor, turned to Twitter to steer followers to attend residence video games, utilizing an area daughter as his headliner.

“LA fans, come out and see @LASparks star Jordin Canada!” Johnson tweeted after the season-opening win, including Canada’s credentials of starring at Windward School and UCLA. It has been preferred almost 2,500 instances.

Getting a Twitter shoutout from Johnson was humbling, Canada stated. He’s “one of the greatest basketball players to play the game, let alone to play for the Lakers,” she marveled almost every week later.

Canada grew up a diehard Lakers fan, obsessing over Kobe Bryant and relishing within the metropolis’s championship custom. Identifying the inspiration of her personal late-game heroics isn’t onerous.

“We kind of have that sense of swagger about us when we’re playing the game,” Canada stated of her L.A. roots. “Just that not backing down mentality, rising to the occasion and just being challenged and accepting that challenge.”

Transforming right into a role participant after starring on each workforce since childhood was onerous, Canada admitted, but it surely comes with being knowledgeable. She developed confidence in her distinctive recreation. A 17.9% three-point shooter in Seattle, Canada prefers to consider herself as a Chris Paul-like mid-range murderer. She discovered find out how to be prepared at a second’s discover.

No matter her role, Canada remained centered on her final objective.

“Winning is most important to Jordin Canada,” Close stated. “I think that’s what allows her” to just accept completely different roles. “She would rather win and compete at the highest levels than be a star or make it about her. If she can do both, great, but her leading toward winning ways is always going to be the predominant value.”

Canada, a McDonald’s All-American and five-star prospect popping out of Windward, spurned presents from established ladies’s basketball powerhouses like Connecticut and Tennessee in favor of constructing her hometown Bruins.

The Bruins went to their fourth consecutive Sweet 16 the 12 months after Canada graduated, and their streak of 5 consecutive NCAA match appearances was the longest at school historical past. The program had not more than three years of consecutive WNBA draft picks earlier than Canada and fellow 2018 draft decide Monique Billings. Now 5 Bruins have heard their names known as in 4 straight years.

But Canada by no means gained the championship, which might have been UCLA’s first NCAA title. With the Sparks, it’s a brand new alternative to make good on a decades-old dream.

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