“My legacy, I hope, is that I left every single thing I had on the floor out there every single time that I stepped off of it.” That’s Kia Nurse for you! And Chicago’s guard-play just got a whole lot sturdier with her addition. The six-foot-tall guard from Canada is a walking bucket-getter. Statistics don’t begin to measure her importance, however, she played a major role in the 2021 Phoenix Mercury’s trip to the finals before her ACL injury. Wherever she has played, she has made an impact.

However, over the last few years, it seems like Kia Nurse has been unable to find a stable contract. Currently, she is on a one-year deal with the Chicago Sky, potentially waiting for the CBA negotiations to get done. With her arrival in Chicago, fans can’t help but wonder–what is her family history? Well, let’s find out!

Who are Kia Nurse’s parents?

The athletic genes are very much present in Kia Nurse’s blood. The 29-year-old guard for the Sky was a highly touted player in high school and ended up committing to Geno Auriemma and his UConn Huskies. Her decision was completely supported by her parents, who were both athletes as well!

Richard Nurse and Cathy Nurse have a long athletic history between the two, and ended up passing it on to their kids! Richard was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League (CFL), and played as a wide receiver and a slotback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 1990-95.

Cathy, on the other hand, was no snooze, either. She played varsity basketball at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Her strict and upfront approach in raising her kids was essential to their success in life!

The couple has three kids: Darnell, Tamika, and Kia. Their only son is a professional hockey player in the NHL, while Tamika and Kia went the basketball route. Tamika played for Oregon, and Kia Nurse ended up making it to the WNBA!

Considering that all of their kids are grown up, Cathy and Richard find themselves with a lot of time on their hands to spend together. Gone are the days when they would miss each other at the dinner table. The couple plans activities together every weekend, and eats supper at the same table almost every night!

Where did Richard and Cathy Nurse meet?

Every love story starts somewhere, and for Richard and Cathy, it started at an all-ages dance! Richard was 16, and his wife-to-be was 14, but their encounter was short-lived. They only interacted with each other a couple of times that year, before entering each other’s lives again two years later.

And ever since then, they have been together. Of course, it hasn’t all been easy, but when are things easy in love? They were obviously successful, especially considering the life they managed to build together.

The pair married on April 8, 1994, in a low-key ceremony, and their honeymoon was to Las Vegas. According to Cathy, her husband put her in a headlock, ‘his idea of a hug,’ and gave her the ring on Christmas, and for her? It was perfect!

What is the ethnicity of Kia Nurse’s parents?

Kia Nurse’s parents have quite a unique story in terms of ethnicity, and we can’t wait to share it! Her father, Richard Nurse, is a Black Trinidadian-Canadian whose father left Trinidad to look for work. On the other hand, Cathy Nurse is a White Canadian of European descent. This has given Kia, Tamika, and Darrell quite an interesting lineage to speak of and fall back on!

Inside Kia Nurse’s relationship with her parents

As a successful athlete in the WNBA, there is a lot that Kia Nurse owes to her parents, and for good reason, too! The six-foot-tall guard from Canada was always given the option to pursue sports, but it was never forced on her. However, her parents did hold her accountable in the beginning in terms of honoring commitments and putting in the hard work.

She put it ever so elegantly while talking to SLAM magazine. “Having parents who played sports was really helpful just in the sense that they knew what it took and they knew the sacrifices and the accountability needed,” Nurse said, and it rang true.

Kia’s mom played a huge role in helping her learn about accountability. She spoke of a time when she wanted to quit basketball, but her mother made her see the season through because she committed to it. Not only that, but Cathy emphasized the value of studies for Kia. Both of her parents were important parts of her support system after her ACL injury in 2021. And that still remains true.