It’s kind of unbelievable that Bridget Carleton didn’t even have the WNBA on her dream board. All she ever really wanted was to rep Canada, wear that maple leaf, and one day make it to the Olympics. That was the dream. The WNBA didn’t cross her mind until halfway through her college days at Iowa State. Why? Well, because she genuinely thought she wasn’t good enough until she started seeing her name pop up in those WNBA mock drafts.

But it wasn’t all sunshine from there. The Connecticut Sun picked her in the draft, but she played just four games before getting cut. So what did Bridget do? Packed her bags, cleared out her apartment in Iowa, and went back home to her parents’ place. She hit a Team Canada camp, but for the most part, she just waited… and waited. Days turned into weeks and she started wondering if her WNBA story had ended before it really began. But then Minnesota Lynx came calling. From that moment, it was game on. She fought for every minute of playing time, proved her worth, and slowly but surely carved out a spot for herself. And through all the ups, downs, uncertainties, and surprises, her family was right there, cheering louder than anyone.

Who are Bridget Carleton’s parents?

Rob and Carrie Carleton are the ones who raised Bridget in a warm, sports-crazy household in Chatham, Ontario. While we don’t know a ton about Rob’s profession, Carrie is a sports teacher, a former college basketball player, and Bridget’s first coach.

The Lynx star also has two sisters, Sarah and Rachel, who also dabbled in sports growing up. It’s no surprise Bridget turned out the way she did with that kind of sports-oriented family. 

What is the ethnicity of Bridget Carleton’s parents?

As for ethnicity, there aren’t any specific public records breaking that down. But what we do know is that Bridget’s roots run deep in Canadian culture. 

Inside Bridget Carleton’s relationship with her parents

The Carleton household was all in when it came to sports. “It didn’t matter what sport, what time of day, or if we’d already watched three games,” Bridget once said about the Olympics. “We were always invested as a family.” However, while her sisters played sports too, Bridget gravitated toward basketball. 

Why? Because of mom. Carrie played in college, coached high school ball, and became Bridget’s coach too. “We bonded because of basketball,” Bridget said. “That’s where our relationship really grew.” Just imagine this…after a long day at school, the two of them would hit the gym. Bridget shooting. Carrie rebounding. Talking about life between swishes and bounces. That was their thing. And it clearly worked.

Carrie coached her at John McGregor Secondary School and those after-school sessions laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most impressive NCAA careers a Canadian player’s ever had. It didn’t stop there. Even in college, the Carletons made sure to be there for Bridget. During her senior year at Iowa State, her parents, plus 46 friends and family, took a bus for a 22-hour round trip to watch her play.

But beyond basketball, what really gets you is how much they admire her as a person. “We’re so proud of Bridget, not just for her basketball accomplishments, but for the young lady she is,” said Carrie. Carrie’s biggest joy is watching her daughter chase her passion. “All any mother would want for their daughter is to find what they love. We’re just so happy she’s going after her dreams and doing everything she can to make them happen.”

With time, not just her blood relations, the whole Chatham became her family. We have to talk about that magical moment in 2023. The first-ever WNBA game in Canada and Bridget was the only Canadian player on the court, repping the Lynx in front of a sold-out crowd at Scotiabank Arena. Her grandma saw her play professionally for the first time. For her mom, tissues were needed. “Hearing 20,000 fans excited to see a Canadian play—I might tear up again,” Carrie said.

That day was more than a game. It was a full-circle moment. It was a celebration of Bridget’s journey- from not even believing she was WNBA material, to playing in the league, to repping her country in the Olympics twice, to being a hometown hero. Speaking of the Olympics, her family made sure to show up there too. “Having my family there, experiencing it with me, I think will be really special,” she said.

Now, she is in her sixth season with the same Lynx squad as last year, living a reality that once felt too far-fetched to even dream. “I dreamed of playing professionally at a high level, but I never expected to be in the league this long and on such a great team,” she said during 2024 Finals. Well, here she is. Still standing, still shining. And behind it all is a proud family who never stopped believing in her, even when she didn’t believe in herself.

That might just be the most beautiful part of her whole story.