'It would be a dream come true': Kia Nurse eyes back-to-back WNBL titles with Canberra Capitals

It matters little how many shots the Canberra Capitals import misses, she always thinks she is going to hit the next one. The one she does so often turns a game on its head.

It is the kind of mindset that saw her get dropped off at school and head to where all the kids would soon line up long before the bell. She had to be first.

The kind of attitude that saw her become the first import to claim the Suzy Batkovic Medal as the WNBL's most valuable player.

The kind of approach that has her on the cusp of becoming a two-time WNBL champion should the Capitals beat the Southside Flyers at a heaving AIS Arena on Wednesday.

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"It would be a dream come true, definitely far from all the horror stories I have heard about overseas," Nurse said.

"It would be absolutely incredible to be able to finish that off. It's been a long journey in my career.

"Even though I'm only 24, it's been 20 years since I picked up a ball and this is probably one of the best years of it so far, even the past two years."

But while last season she told Capitals coach Paul Goriss she might leave a few pairs of basketball shoes behind and just pick them all up when she got back, this time there is no guarantee.

Because a chance to pursue an opportunity as a basketball analyst for a leading network will finally allow Nurse to break free of the 12-month grind of practice, games, and travel.

Ask her about it and she can find no reason to complain, for she is being paid to live her dream. But a new horizon gives the WNBA All-Star a chance to refresh.

For that reason she is determined to make the most of what looms as her final game in a Capitals jersey.

"It was the people that really made Canberra what it is, and made me fall in love with it," Nurse said.

"The girls I get to spend my time with every single day, and you've got to see your teammates a lot so you better like them.

"I more than like them, they're all going to be my friends for life and sisters for life.

"Any time you're chasing something special and uncommon, it's really important to genuinely like the people you're around.

"The coaches can do so much for you, game plan so much for you, and tell you how to execute something for you.

"It's the people who are on the court with you who are going to war with you every single day in practice.

"Those are the people who mean the most and allow you to actually find the success, find the confidence and the happiness in playing basketball."

Those people are the likes of last season's MVP Kelsey Griffin, a player so dynamic she has been named in Australia's squads for both five-on-five and three-on-three at the Olympic Games.

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Or Marianna Tolo, who may well find herself on a collision course with Nurse should the Opals and Canada cross paths in Tokyo. French guard Olivia Epoupa is in the same position.

Then there is Maddison Rocci, the 21-year-old rising star who has grown so close to Nurse they shed tears when the latter returned home to Canada last year.

It takes a fraction of a second to work out this Capitals group is special. But equally so are the Flyers.

"It's a classic match-up. Both teams match up really well across the board," Goriss said.

"You've got two world class centres in Tolo versus Mercedes Russell, two elite players in Kia Nurse and Bec Cole, two of the best point guards in Olivia Epoupa and Leilani Mitchell.

"It can go either way and it's a great spectacle for basketball. You're going to see some world class athletes. There's nothing like experiencing this at home.

"It might be the last time we see someone like Kia in Australia in the WNBL. She is a phenomenal, world class talent, so get out here and watch her."

There will be no shortage of fans crammed into the AIS Arena to get what could be their final look at Nurse in the flesh.

About 700 tickets remain for what could be the final game of the season as the Capitals look to recreate an atmosphere unrivalled in the WNBL.

Just as much as Nurse remembers the teammates who have become more like family, she will remember those in the stands.

"It gets rocking in here. That's the best part about it, essentially basketball players are entertainers," Nurse said.

"We're out here to put on a show and I think we do a really good job of that. It's always about how much energy we can feed off of, and our crowds are a huge boost for us.

"They're absolutely a sixth man on the court, that's really fun to play in and it allows us to enjoy it while we're out there."

So she will remember the moments she walks onto the court and the cheers send shivers down her spine.

She will remember the embrace with an adoring youngster, just as they will remember the show Nurse put on for two unforgettable seasons in Canberra.

WNBL GRAND FINAL SERIES

Game one: Canberra Capitals 82 bt Southside Flyers 80 at Dandenong Stadium.

Wednesday, March 4: Game two - Canberra Capitals v Southside Flyers at AIS Arena, 7.30pm.

Sunday, March 8: Game three - Southside Flyers v Canberra Capitals at Dandenong Stadium, 1pm.