While Toronto Tempo are new to WNBA, women’s basketball has long history in Canada

Hamilton native Kia Nurse of the Toronto Tempo drives to the basket against the visiting Connecticut Sun during an April 29, 2026 WNBA pre-season game.

The WNBA, not surprisingly, chose Canada as the country to extend its footprint outside the United States for the first time. Canadian players have been playing in America for more than 30 years.