LOS ANGELES — WNBA Most Improved Player candidate Jordin Canada is enjoying her best season ever and leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a potential playoff berth after finally getting a chance to start for her hometown team.
Canada joined the Locked On Women's Basketball podcast to discuss her breakout season and how she got here.
“Once I came to the Sparks, I was able to kind of get that confidence back and feel like I was being put into more of a leadership role," Canada told host Howard Megdal. "I think that just kind of helped get me back to where I used to be.”
Canada starred for UCLA during her college days and was a first round pick by Seattle, but struggled due to an inconsistent role with the Storm through the first several years of her career.
“I knew at some point in my career I wanted to play for LA," Canada said. "I grew up going to Sparks games … and always envisioned myself playing on that floor.”
Another helpful addition for Canada and the Sparks was the offseason hiring of new head coach Curt Miller, who is known for an offensive system that tends to be greater than the sum of its parts.
Under Miller, Canada is also shooting a career-high 32 percent from deep and is on pace to more than double her career-high in attempts this season, which has played a big role in her increased production this season.
“His system that I’m in has definitely helped me this year," Canada explained. "I know that I can shoot, I was like that at UCLA, and I know that that’s truly how I play … I just had to get my mental back to where I used to be in order to play how I play now.”