Dream’s Jordin Canada credits faith, resilience for breakthrough playoff run

During the WNBA Finals, there will be plenty of coverage of many of the big storylines.

Both the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries are looking for their first title.

There’s Angel Reese, one of the league’s most popular players. And there’s the story of the upstart Valkyries, who are in the Finals in just their second season of existence.

There’s All-WNBA guard Allisha Gray’s quest for a title and Golden State’s Gabby Williams’ ascending stardom.

Somewhere down the list of storylines is Dream point guard Jordin Canada, who won championships with the Seattle Storm in 2018 and ‘20.

Very often, in the bigger picture, she’s overlooked, even though she’s one of the critical pieces of the Dream’s remarkable season.

“To the people that just hopped on the bandwagon, welcome,” Canada said Tuesday. “To the people that have been supporters throughout my whole career, thank you for just supporting me throughout my whole journey.”

Canada and the Dream are heading to the Finals to try to cap an amazing regular season, matching their franchise record with 30 wins, and Canada has been on a tear since the playoffs began.

“It’s just a testament to the patience and the work that I’ve put in over the years. I’m always feeling confident and remaining confident in myself and believing in myself,” Canada said.

Canada has often been overlooked when it comes to individual recognition. As the point guard, her teammates call her the engine, the head of the snake. They go as she goes. She controls the tempo on the court, reading the game to put her teammates in the best positions to get their shots. In clutch time, she often makes baskets of her own and playing as an elite defender.

At 5-foot-6, Canada is often one of the shortest players on the court, but she uses her speed to pressure opponents and disrupt their rhythm. Those qualities don’t always show up in the box score or stat sheets.

Playoff Canada is a different story.

During the regular season, Canada had respectable averages: 11 points, 3.5 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 1.9 steals.

In the postseason, she’s turned things up: 19.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 2.2 steals. She ranks second in the WNBA in steals behind teammate Rhyne Howard. She’s also shooting 50% on 3-pointers in the playoffs, as she’s noticeably sprinting to the line more consistently and knocking them down without any hesitation.

‘Remaining faithful’

Canada doesn’t attribute all her success to hard work and dedication; she also points to her faith as a source of strength, but the path hasn’t always been clear.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve been on such an up-and-down journey. My first two seasons here, I was injured a lot, more than I have been in my career,” Canada said. “Those are probably some of the toughest times, the hardest times. And even stuff that I was going through off the court that nobody really knew about that I had to battle in silence.

“So, it was just remaining faithful in God and trusting Him and not understanding what was happening, but to know that, again, God’s timing is everything … just to remain faithful, remain steady in His presence, continue to praise, continue to lean on Him in times of uncertainty. And I think this year, I’ve been reaping the benefits of that.”

Canada also admitted that she not only surprised fans but also herself with her playoff performance. She said it was a testament to the beliefs that have instilled her confidence as she has stepped up in bigger ways on a bigger stage.

This leadership became especially important when Gray exited Game 1 of the semifinals after suffering a finger injury. Canada and her teammates assured Gray they had her back, and the Dream continued their postseason run with a collective effort, sweeping their second straight series and extending their winning streak to 10, including the last five games of the regular season.

Canada, who’s never had an All-Star selection, is a player many casual fans might skip when looking down the box score, but hers is the name that’s been ringing throughout, as her impact is hard to overlook.

Her face lights up when given the opportunity to express her faith throughout her journey, but whenever given the opportunity to speak on her accomplishments, she draws the conversation back to her team and what they’ve meant to her.

Canada’s demeanor is calm and collected. Away from the court, she maintains a familiar pregame routine that includes a nap and a rotation of her favorite R&B playlists, even during the playoffs. Still, the postseason has brought out emotions that teammates and fans may not have seen from her before.

This was displayed after Canada shot a pivotal three-point play in Game 1 of the semifinals, and she could be seen crouched under the basket and yelling with raw emotion after the shot — an act not many have seen from the normally reserved point guard. That night, Canada led her team with 25 points, and her teammates were beyond impressed.

“She (Canada) just brings all the energy. She’s the head of the team on defense and offense. So when she gets one, then it gets everyone going. I’m just super proud of her, and I’m excited to see what she’s going to do (moving forward),” forward DeWanna Bonner said.

The job’s not finished.