Many WNBA fans fell in love with Kate Martin at the 2024 draft. She was in the crowd, supporting her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark, and wasn’t expected to be drafted any time soon. The Las Vegas Aces surprisingly picked her in the first round, and she impressed Becky Hammon enough to stick around on a veteran-heavy roster with championship expectations.
Martin put together some solid performances, establishing herself as a 3-and-D player who was willing to do all the little things for her team. Going to the Golden State Valkyries in the expansion draft offered new opportunities, and Martin quickly became synonymous with the team’s gritty culture. She has been a fan favorite everywhere she’s played.
Nevertheless, Martin won’t be a part of the Valkyries’ 2026 roster. The team announced today that she had been waived.
Martin may find opportunities with other teams or return to the Valkyries on a development contract. It would be a massive step down for a player who averaged 16.4 minutes last season, but it would be an opportunity to hang around the team and prove that they made the wrong choice.
The Valkyries needed to address specific needs with their last two roster spots
Until now, the Valkyries had two roster spots up for grabs and three promising young players hoping to make the team. The team’s roster needs made Martin the odd one out.
Veronica Burton is the only true point guard on the roster, which made it pretty much impossible for them to waive Kaitlyn Chen. They needed another ballhandler and playmaker, and Chen had an impressive offseason, playing in Europe and Athletes Unlimited.
The Valkyries also don’t have any size behind Kiah Stokes, as Iliana Rupert will miss the season due to pregnancy, as ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported. Until the Valkyries can find a replacement, Laeticia Amihere will provide much-needed size and athleticism in the frontcourt.
The Valkyries were obviously high on Martin and enjoyed having her around. But keeping her on the roster when the other two contenders for those final spots filled immediate needs would have been difficult to justify. The Valkyries have several players who can provide hustle, 3-point shooting, and defense at the shooting guard or small forward spot—Cecilia Zandalsini, Gabby Williams, Kayla Thornton, Kaila Charles, and Janelle Salaün all offer that—but they don’t have the point guard depth or size to afford parting ways with either Chen or Amihere.
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