Kia Nurse will be crowned the WNBL's most valuable player on Friday as she prepares to bring down the curtain on her time in Canberra.
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The Canberra Times can reveal the Capitals import is set to become the first overseas player to claim the newly-renamed Suzy Batkovic Medal days out from the WNBL playoffs.
It could be her last with Capitals coach Paul Goriss expecting the WNBA All-Star to pursue other opportunities rather than returning to the WNBL next season.
Nurse is the second Capital to be crowned MVP in as many seasons after inspirational co-captain Kelsey Griffin claimed the gong last summer.
It is a huge boost for the Capitals as they set their sights on a semi-final series opener against the Melbourne Boomers at the AIS Arena on Sunday.
Game one of the series could mark one of the final chances Canberra fans have to see the 23-year-old superstar playing in their backyard.
A new collective bargaining agreement has paved the way for a 53 per cent pay raise and maternity benefits for WNBA players, meaning fewer players will need to supplement their earnings on overseas contracts.
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"I think this [season] will be the last time we see her in Australia," Goriss said.
"She's got some opportunities outside of playing basketball in media back home in Canada, and I think she will pursue some of those in the WNBA off-season.
"Players, and especially imports, like Kia only come around every so often.
"I don't think in the WNBL we have seen a player of her calibre with what she has done internationally, in the WNBA and at college.
"It was a huge recruiting coup for us to be able to get her, but to have her here for two seasons has been something we will look back on and think about how special it has been to have her in Canberra and in a Caps uniform."
Nurse has been a revelation in Canberra, helping the Capitals to a drought-breaking title and then a top two finish this year.
She bounced back from a mid-season form slump to finish the regular season as the league's highest point scorer at an average of 21.3 per game.
Goriss says Nurse was perhaps guilty of trying to overplay her hand in the absence of Griffin due to injury.
But it seems as though a weight has been lifted from her shoulders on the eve of the semi-finals with the Capitals setting their sights on back-to-back championships.
"Kia tried to take the team on her shoulders and tried to do more than what she needed to do in the absence of Kelsey," Goriss said.
"Once she settled back into the role, realising we didn't need her to take all of the shots or we didn't need her to be the top scorer or rebounder, she got back into her flow and she has been her normal self.
"Outside of the former MVP in Kelsey, everyone knows most of our plays go through Tolo and Kia.
"That's the thing a lot of teams have to game plan around, how to stop Kia Nurse.
"We put people in positions to be successful, no matter whether it's Kelsey at the four or Kia at the three.
"We run a system and a style that takes advantage of the players' strengths and that shows the character of our group and the chemistry of our group.
"She's a crucial part, she's the top scorer in the league at present, we've got to find ways to get her the ball and get her open shots."
WNBL SEMI-FINALS
Semi-final series two (all times in AEDT)
Sunday, February 16: Game one - Canberra Capitals v Melbourne Boomers at AIS Arena, 5.30pm.
Sunday, February 23: Game two - Melbourne Boomers v Canberra Capitals at State Basketball Centre, 6pm.
Game three date to be confirmed if necessary.