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UCLA Basketball: Jordin Canada’s strong start with the Seattle Storm

By Mike Regalado

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: A basketball on the court during Game One of the WNBA finals featuring the Los Angeles Sparks against the Minnesota Lynx at Williams Arena on September 24, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Andy King/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 24: A basketball on the court during Game One of the WNBA finals featuring the Los Angeles Sparks against the Minnesota Lynx at Williams Arena on September 24, 2017 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Andy King/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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Former UCLA basketball point guard Jordin Canada looks like she is finding her niche with the Seattle Storm after two strong preseason performances.

Apparently the Seattle Storm is fine with letting the rookie play as former UCLA basketball player Jordin Canada is taking the Pacific Northwest by, well, storm.

RELATED: Jordin Canada and Monique Billings’ professional debuts

Though it is only the preseason, Canada is already making a statement as a professional with her new squad after two team-high scoring performances.

In her first game, off the bench Canada scored 15 points, tying with fellow teammate Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart. She also played the most minutes of anyone off the bench (22:56) against the Phoenix Mercury. The former Bruin also added in 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 5 steals.

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This past Saturday, she was was allowed to do a little more in an 84-61 win against Phoenix as she not only logged the most minutes of any Seattle player (25:14), she also put up a game-high 17 points. Despite going 4/11 from the field, she was better from behind the line, hitting 3/5 from downtown. That was a slightly better performance than her first game when she went 0/3 from behind the three-point line.

So in two preseason games, the rookie from UCLA has averaged 16.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals. Not bad for an All-Pac-12 team member.

What we see here is a look into the future. With longtime Seattle point guard Sue Bird possibly coming to the end of her career (though she has not indicated that she is ready to hang up her high tops), the Storm needed someone to pick up where the WNBA legend leaves off. Canada, who has made a mark at UCLA, fits perfectly into that role.

Canada, though talented, still needs to get acclimated to the rigors of professional basketball. Not only does she need to get use to the length of the season, but the higher level of talent in the WNBA. But honestly, the spit-fire baller should have no problem doing that with the Storm. If she starts the season as a backup for Seattle, she will not only give the Storm a lot of energy off the bench, but she will be able to learn the game from the team veterans, which will only help her development.

https://twitter.com/seattlestorm/status/996118830064615424

Next: Three Bruins heading to the NBA Combine

Though she did well in the preseason, it gets real this Sunday, May 20 as Seattle officially begins their 2018 season against Phoenix. Godspeed, Jordin!