We Speak WNBA

Tangerine Bank Teams Up with WNBA All-Star Kia Nurse for New Champions Roster!

Published

6 years ago

March 11, 2021

umeektv

TORONTO, March 8, 2021 /CNW/ – Tangerine is excited to team up with Canadian WNBA star, Kia Nurse. As a Tangerine Champion, Nurse will partner with the brand as an ambassador to help empower communities through youth in sport. Nurse will join in events throughout the year and be a part of community investment initiatives focused on leadership, engagement and mentorship.

Tangerine partners with WNBA all-star, Kia Nurse, as a Tangerine Champion to help empower communities through youth in sport. (CNW Group/Tangerine)

Gillian Riley, CEO of Tangerine Bank and WNBA player and new Tangerine Champion, Kia Nurse, discuss how girls’ participation in sport helps build leadership, teamwork and decision making skills.

Tangerine adds WNBA player, Kia Nurse (R) as a Tangerine Champion to help empower communities through youth in sport, pictured with CEO, Gillian Riley (L) (CNW Group/Tangerine)

The 25-year-old shooting guard, hailing from Hamilton, Ontario, plays for Phoenix Mercury. Nurse is a rising star, having made Team Canada at 16, winning two NCAA championships by 20 and setting franchise records when she stepped onto the court during her WNBA rookie season. In 2019, Nurse was selected as a WNBA All-Star and now has her eyes set on the upcoming Olympic Games as a veteran leader on Team Canada. Recently, Nurse joined TSN as a basketball analyst for the Toronto Raptors broadcast.

“We are thrilled to have Kia Nurse join our team as a Tangerine ambassador to support youth in sport – something we believe is critical in building self-esteem and leadership in youth,” said Gillian Riley, President & CEO at Tangerine Bank. “As a rising star on the world stage, she is truly a role model who is helping pave the way for young girls to continue in sport.”

Tangerine has deep ties to basketball, with a commitment to supporting grassroots organizations like the YMCA and Lady Ballers, and through larger partners like the Toronto Raptors and the NBA. Tangerine is also making a donation of $15,000 to support Kia Nurse Elite, a project founded by Nurse to elevate young female basketball players for more skills development and recruitment opportunities.

“I’m excited to partner with the team at Tangerine and continue to encourage girls and women in sport as they develop skills both on and off the court,” said Kia Nurse. “It’s incredibly important for organizations to have conversations about how communities can come together through sport to not only learn life skills like teamwork and decision making, but also support diversity and inclusion to inspire change.”

About Tangerine Bank

Tangerine Bank is a digital bank that delivers simplified everyday banking to Canadians. With over 2 million Clients and close to $40 billion in total assets, it’s one of Canada’s leading digital banks. Tangerine Bank offers banking that’s flexible and accessible, products and services that are innovative, fair fees and award-winning Client service. From Savings Accounts to no-fee daily Chequing, Credit Cards, GICs, RSPs, TFSAs, Mortgages, lending products and Investment Funds through its subsidiary, Tangerine Investment Funds Limited, Tangerine Bank has the everyday banking products Canadians need. With over 1,000 employees in Canada, the bank’s presence spans its website and Mobile Banking app to its 24/7 Contact Centres and Toronto-based head office. Tangerine Bank was launched as ING DIRECT Canada in 1997. In 2012 Tangerine was acquired by Scotiabank, and operates independently as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

For more information, visit tangerine.ca.

About Kia Nurse Elite

Kia Nurse Elite is Canada’s only Nike-backed Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) program that plays on the Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) circuit. Founded by Kia Nurse and her family, Kia Nurse Elite provides young, female players skills and the platform to elevate them for recruitment opportunities. For more information, visit kianurseelite.com.

We Speak WNBA

Valkyries Win It All: Golden State Beats Atlanta 68-63 in Game 7 for First WNBA Championship

Published

2 days ago

October 31, 2026

We Speak Media

The Golden State Valkyries, 2026 WNBA champions. We Speak Sports graphic.

The Golden State Valkyries are the 2026 WNBA champions.

The Golden State Valkyries are WNBA champions. Golden State beat the Atlanta Dream 68-63 on Saturday night at Chase Center in San Francisco to win Game 7 of the WNBA Finals, the first Game 7 in Finals history, and claim the first championship in franchise history in just the club’s second season.

Gabby Williams delivered the game of her life on the biggest night. Williams finished with 30 points, scoring 15 of them in a third quarter takeover that flipped the game. She had just two points in the first half before erupting after the break, hitting three straight three pointers as Golden State erased Atlanta’s lead and went in front 45-44 heading into the fourth.

Atlanta controlled the first half behind Jordin Canada, who scored 13 of her team high 18 points before halftime as the Dream built a 30-24 lead. Golden State opened the game on an 8-0 run and held Atlanta scoreless for more than five minutes, but the Dream settled in and led most of the way until Williams took over.

The fourth quarter stayed tight to the final minute. Kiah Stokes tipped one in with 53 seconds left to push the lead to 64-57, and after Atlanta clawed back within 66-63 in the final seconds, Veronica Burton sank two free throws with five seconds left to close the door. Burton finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Allisha Gray scored 16 for the Dream, Angel Reese had 8 points and 12 rebounds, and Atlanta’s search for a first title ended in its fourth Finals appearance.

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The championship caps a stunning rise for Golden State, an expansion team in 2025 that reached the top of the league in year two. For Atlanta, the wait goes on.

Tiffany Hayes added 11 points for Golden State and fought through a third-quarter injury scare to return for the finish. Kiah Stokes controlled the glass with eight points, 13 rebounds and two blocks, and Kayla Thornton added three points off the bench. Golden State outscored Atlanta 44-33 after halftime.

The Valkyries, who went 32-12 in the regular season, will celebrate with a victory parade Wednesday in San Francisco. Golden State Valkyries — 2026 WNBA Champions, series 4-3.

Williams was named the 2026 WNBA Finals MVP. She scored 28 of her 30 points in the second half, a WNBA Finals record for points in a half, and she averaged 19.6 points across the seven games of the series.