‘Women’s basketball doesn’t lack talent. It lacks investment’: Hoopqueens CEO on growing the game in Canada

As HOOPQUEENS prepares to crown its latest champion this Sunday, the league is celebrating more than just another season. 

The championship game, which will be part of a professional basketball doubleheader alongside the Scarborough Shooting Stars, marks another milestone for an organization that has grown from a grassroots basketball community into Canada’s first paid women’s basketball league.

HOOPQUEENS was created to provide women with more opportunities to continue competing at a high level in Canada. As the organization has grown, its focus has expanded beyond basketball games to building a stronger foundation for athletes and creating more opportunities within the sport.

According to HOOPQUEENS CEO Nakissa Koomalsingh, also known as Keesa K, the organization’s growth came from recognizing a gap in the Canadian basketball landscape.

“The biggest turning point wasn’t one specific thing or moment. It was seeing the same story play out over and over again. Talented women were graduating from university or returning from playing overseas, and there simply wasn’t a place for them to continue competing at a high level in Canada, with even fewer opportunities to get paid. That meant we weren’t just losing players; we were losing dreams, careers and future leaders in the game,” Koomalsingh explained to Now Toronto. 

Koomalsingh said that realizing the issue was not a lack of talent, but a lack of opportunity, changed the direction of HOOPQUEENS.

“What we needed was a movement and a platform that could change the future of women’s basketball in Canada,” she said.

As women’s basketball continues to gain attention across North America, Koomalsingh believes one of the biggest challenges facing the sport is building a sustainable system around it.

“The biggest challenge is definitely sustainability. People see the games, the highlights, and the social media moments, but they don’t see how difficult it is to build a professional ecosystem,” she said.

The CEO believes the sport’s growth depends on investment beyond just the players.

“Women’s basketball doesn’t lack talent. It lacks consistent investment, pathways, and infrastructure,” she said.

She added that athletes, coaches, officials and other professionals in the sport continue to face challenges finding opportunities in Canada.

Looking ahead, Koomalsingh hopes HOOPQUEENS can continue developing into a pathway for athletes pursuing professional basketball careers.

“Five years from now, success looks like scaling HOOPQUEENS into a recognized development pathway to the WNBA and other professional leagues around the world,” she said.

She also hopes the organization continues creating opportunities beyond the court.

“Beyond the league itself, I want HOOPQUEENS to be known for creating opportunities off the court through coaching, officiating, front-office careers, media, entrepreneurship and community programming,” she said.

For Koomalsingh, the ultimate goal is creating a future where young athletes can see a clear path in basketball without having to leave Canada to pursue their dreams.

“If we’ve built a system where the next generation of girls never has to question whether there’s a future for them in basketball in Canada, then we’ve accomplished exactly what we set out to do,” she said.

Sunday’s championship game will celebrate the conclusion of another HOOPQUEENS season, but it also represents the continued growth of women’s basketball opportunities in Canada. Sharing the stage with the Scarborough Shooting Stars in a professional basketball doubleheader highlights the increasing visibility of the sport.

For HOOPQUEENS, the goal extends beyond one championship. The organization continues working toward creating more opportunities for women to compete, develop and build careers in basketball in Canada.