Locked On Women’s Basketball: How Jordin Canada discovered WNBA happiness with the Atlanta Dream

First, they talked about the hand injury that kept Canada sidelined until after the Olympic break, and how she navigating making the transition back to the court as the Dream fight for a playoff spot.

“It’s kind of hard … trying to come in to a new system, new team, trying to figure things out,” Canada said. “Honestly, we haven’t been healthy all season as a unit, as a full team. We still haven’t played one game with our full roster. So that just says a lot about the adversity that we’ve had this season. But even with that, we still have a chance to make playoffs, and that’s just a testament to us working hard the second half of season, getting some much needed wins and understanding that … we’re fighting for our playoff lives. And so every day, we take that into account and just [try] to focus one game at a time to make sure that we’re doing everything possible to make sure we get that last spot.”

Later on, they talked about Canada’s seven-year WNBA career. The UCLA grad spent four seasons in Seattle after being drafted at No. 5 overall by the Storm, where she helped the team win championships in 2018 and 2020. In 2022, she returned to her hometown Los Angeles and joined the Sparks. But after a successful 2023-24 off-season campaign in Australia, where she was named the WNBL’s MVP, Jordin Canada found a new home in Atlanta in 2024.

“It’s been a tough seven years,” Canada explained. “I mean, obviously I’ve had great years of winning championships with Seattle, I’ve had some downsides of having struggle years, my first year in LA and just throughout my career, within itself, having to battle being in an in a starting lineup, out of a starting lineup, and just trying to figure out my role, and also trying to grow in my role, and then trying to better myself as well. And so I think last year was just the stepping stone of me stepping into who I want to be as a player, and then off the court as well, stepping into who I want to be off the court as well, in terms of things that I’m passionate about.”

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“I think coming to Atlanta, it’s just been a full circle moment for me, just being valued and appreciated,” she continued. “… the organization has welcomed me with open arms, my teammates have welcomed me with open arms, the fan base, just the city of Atlanta, it’s just been a very great experience for me, top to bottom. … that’s not to knock any other team that I’ve played for, all those organizations have been great, I just think, for me, mentally and physically and emotionally, I’m just at a different space. … I’m just in trying to enjoy being where I am, and especially being out the first half of season and now coming in, I’m just trying to enjoy the moment and embrace the moment, and not think about the past, think about what’s coming in the future, just trying to stay where I’m at.”

Tune in to hear more from Jordin Canada about making the transition to Atlanta, making her way back after injury, how she’s grown as a player throughout her career and more. Make sure to subscribe to the Locked On Women’s Basketball podcast to keep learning about the WNBA, women’s college basketball, basketball history and much more!