Dillon Brooks & Kia Nurse named inaugural Homecourt Heroes as Canada Basketball and Rentals.ca renew partnership
TORONTO, ON — July 3, 2026 — Canada Basketball and Rentals.ca, Canada's leading rental housing marketplace, today announced the renewal of their national partnership and named Senior National Team athletes Dillon Brooks and Kia Nurse as the inaugural recipients of the Homecourt Heroes Award presented by Rentals.ca. The multi-year agreement cements Rentals.ca's status as the Official Rental Housing Marketplace Partner of Canada Basketball,positioning both organizations to connect with Canadian basketball fans from coast to coast as the country's top athletes prepare for a defining chapter in sport, the road to LA2028.
Building on a shared commitment to community and national pride, the renewed partnership brings two flagship initiatives to the forefront: the Homecourt Heroes Storytelling Series and a prominent logo placement on both the Senior Men's and Senior Women's Team shorts.
Introducing the First-Ever Homecourt Heroes Award Recipients: Dillon Brooks and Kia Nurse
The Homecourt Heroes Award Presented by Rentals.ca is a national storytelling platform program built to empower and celebrate Canada Basketball athletes who continue to invest and prioritize inspiring the growth of the game of home soil. Each year, one athlete from the Senior Men's and Women’s Teams will be recognized, with their stories brought to life through original content that connects Canadian fans to the places and people that shaped their favourite athletes.
Brooks, a Mississauga, Ontario native, has risen to become one of the most competitive and compelling players in the game. A player with Mississauga roots and unrelenting team-first mentality make him a fitting face for a program built on community and pride. Over recent years Brooks’ has continued to make an impact on his local community through focus on supporting the next generation through support for local low-income students, food bank donations and youth basketball camps and experiences.
“This is a great honour and I’m happy to be recognized. I’m proud to be from Mississauga and loved my upbringing in my hometown and the people I grew up with. I always look for opportunities to giveback to my community and here thanks to this award, I will have that opportunity in front of me again.”
— Dillon Brooks, Senior Men’s National Team Athlete and Olympian
Nurse, a Hamilton, Ontario native and one of the most decorated players in Canadian women's basketball history, has spent her career representing her city of Hamilton with the same heart and determination that defines it. Through her continued commitment to youth empowerment, mentorship, and community engagement, Nurse continues to create opportunities for the next generation through her Kia Nurse Elite Academy,youth mentorship, and various public speaking initiatives.
"Hamilton is the city that shaped me – it taught me about hard work, resilience, and the power of a supportive community. Carrying that pride onto the world stage with Canada Basketball is absolute honour. My goal has always been to ensure the next generation has even more opportunities to thrive. I’m incredibly grateful to be one of the inaugural recipients of the Homecourt Heroes Award. This kind of support helps us shine alight on where we come from and continue lifting young athletes across the country. Home is where everything starts.”
— Kia Nurse, Senior Women’s National Team Athlete and Olympian
Their stories, shaped by the communities they grew up in, demonstrate the exact purpose of what the Homecourt Heroes Award was created to celebrate. For Canadians, it's a chance to see themselves in the game, and serves as a reminder that the country's best players came from communities like theirs.
The two awardees will be officially recognized on court this evening together as the Senior Men's National Team competes against Puerto Rico at TD Coliseum in Hamilton as part of the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers. Later this summer, Kia and Dillon will collaborate with Canada Basketball and Rentals.ca on a community initiative of their choice to give back and activate an event in their community, and share their authentic hometown stories from their unique point of view.
"Our athletes carry their communities with them every time they pull on that jersey, and that's important to us at Canada Basketball. Rentals.ca shares our belief that home is at the heart of this sport and this country. Having a partner who is as invested in celebrating those stories as we are makes this partnership something truly special. We look forward to everything ahead as we build toward one of the most exciting moments in Canadian basketball history."
— Stephanie Withall, Vice President, Business & Marketing Operations,Canada Basketball
On the Court and On the World Stage
Rentals.ca will also have a prominent place on the court. As part of the renewed agreement, the brand will appear on the shorts of Canada Basketball's Senior Men’s and Women’s and Men’s and Women’s 3x3 National Teams beginning this summer at the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers in Hamilton and W'HOOP IT UP in Victoria and continuing through to the 2027 Women's AmeriCup in San Salvador, El Salvador and the 2027 Men's World Cup in Doha, Qatar.
“Where you live may change, but the communities that shape you stay with you. We created the Homecourt Heroes Award to recognize athletes who invest in the communities that helped make them who they are. We're proud to recognize Dillon and Kia as our inaugural recipients and to stand behind them as they carry Canada forward on the road to LA2028.”
— Allie Langohr, VP of Marketing, Rentals.ca.
As Canada Basketball and its athletes build toward LA2028, Rentals.ca's continued investment reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to unite communities and a commitment to helping Canadians find their place to call home.
About Canada Basketball
Canada Basketball is the national governing body for the sport,recognized by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Government of Canada. A not-for-profit organization, Canada Basketball leads the growth and development of the game at all levels, from grassroots participation to high-performance international competition, including the development of athletes, coaches, and officials across the country, in alignment with its provincial and territorial sport organizations. The organization strives for excellence on the world stage while serving the best interests of Canada by making basketball safer, more accessible, more equitable, and more impactful in communities coast-to-coast-to-coast. Canada's Senior Women's, Men's, and 3x3 National Teams,along with its age-group programs, proudly represent the nation in international play, competing with the best in the world. For more information head to basketball.ca.
About Rentals.ca
Rentals.ca is Canada's leading rental housing marketplace,connecting renters and landlords coast to coast. Committed to helping Canadians find a place to truly call home, Rentals.ca makes the rental journey easier through trusted technology, verified listings, and community partnerships. For more information, visit rentals.ca.
Media Contacts
Abby Albino, Head of Brand and Fan Engagement, Canada Basketball aalbino@basketball.ca
