Kate Martin has one of the best WNBA draft stories of all time. As many fans remember, Martin attended the 2024 draft to support her good friend Caitlin Clark, without any expectaiton that she herself could be selected by a team. In fact, Martin was drafted out of the audience by the Aces in the second round, and she made it through training camp still on the team's roster when the season began.
Martin quickly proved to be a popular member of the team, both in terms of social media attention and jersey sales (she outsold teammate and three-time MVP A'ja Wilson), as well as through her relationships with the rest of the Aces.
She will bring all of that and more to the Valkyries when the WNBA season begins in May. In fact, Martin is already making it clear that she's got a lot more to give on the court in Miami, where she plays for the Laces BC in Unrivaled.
The Golden State Valkyries will allow Kate Martin to shine
Martin has always been known as a committed hard worker, and there's no way she won't bring that to the table for the Valkyries this season. Unrivaled has given her the opportunity to show off a range of skills, including her corner threes, fadeaway shots, and her ability to drive to the basket — things the Aces didn't always give her space to put on display.
Of course, it's likely no one was more aware of Martin's star power (and her bright future) than the Aces themselves, who ultimately made the decision to leave her unprotected during the Valkyries Expansion Draft last December.
While speaking to ESPN after the draft Martin expressed how happy she was with the move from Las Vegas to San Francisco. "Coach Nakase is somebody you're going to run through a brick wall for... those are the kind of coaches that you just want to give your all for," she explained.
Martin also said she sees plenty of opportunities on the team for herself. "My ceiling is very high," she explained. "Coach Nakase hangs her hat on defense. I want to be able to be somebody who can lock down the number one or two option on other teams."
She also didn't leave her former team out of the conversation. "I'm really excited [to join the Valkyries]," Martin said. "This league is all about opportunity and you just need one shot. I'm very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there, but I'm excited for this new team and to build something from the ground up."