Sports fans love to cheer for local talent. That excitement is only amplified when their favorite team is the only one in the country, like the Toronto Raptors, for example. The NBA is full of Canadian talent, but seeing some of them play in a Raptors uniform and call Toronto home is so much more special for many fans than seeing them thrive elsewhere.
The Raptors’ roster currently features two Canadian players: RJ Barrett and A.J. Lawson. When Barrett came to Toronto in a trade with the Knicks, he was only the eighth Canadian to suit up for the Raptors. Jamaal Magloire was the first Canadian-born player to play for Toronto. Cory Joseph, Khem Birch, Anthony Bennett, Oshae Brissett, Dalano Banton, Chris Boucher, and Kelly Olynyk followed him.
Barrett quickly emerged as one of the team’s current stars, and many fans love the fact that he was a Raptors fan himself growing up. Toronto Tempo GM Monica Wright Roger’s hopes to replicate that special connection Raptors fans in Toronto feel with local players representing their city by signing Canadian players to the first WNBA team in the country.
“We are really excited about the Canadian talent pool and the opportunity to land our first Canadian player,” Wright Rogers said after the expansion draft. “It’s absolutely on our radar and we look forward to that.”
The Portland Fire stole the opportunity to add a local star from the Tempo
The most proven Canadian in the WNBA right now is Bridget Carleton. She was a key player on a Lynx team that went to the finals in 2024. She was widely speculated to be the Tempo’s sole unrestricted free agent pick in the expansion draft, but Portland Fire GM Vanja Černivec boldly decided to make the Canadian fan base her enemy: she chose Carleton with the first pick in the expansion draft.
The Tempo will have a few more opportunities to add Canadian talent. Signing Kia Nurse would be the easiest option. She is an unrestricted free agent, and playing a big role for her hometown team is certainly a more interesting option than returning to the Chicago Sky.
Aaliyah Edwards is unfortunately under contract with the Connecticut Sun, and it would take quite a trade offer to convince them to move on from her. That leaves Laeticia Amihere, but her status as a reserved free agent with the Golden State Valkyries complicates the situation.
There’s more Canadian talent coming up, though. Syla Swords and Toby Fournier will both be draft eligible in 2028.