The offseason has been tough for Las Vegas Aces fans. Natalie Nakase left to become the Valkyries' head coach, and Tyler Marsh took his first head coaching job in Chicago. Perhaps the toughest blow was when Golden State selected Kate Martin in the WNBA Expansion Draft.
Martin went to the 2024 WNBA Draft to support Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark. She didn't expect to be drafted, but the Aces selected Martin with the No. 18 overall pick. It was a special moment for the guard.
Iowa guard Kate Martin said she came to the WNBA draft to support Caitlin Clark but was hoping to get her name called.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 16, 2024
She ended up getting drafted by the Aces 😱
What a moment ❤️
(via @AliyahFun) pic.twitter.com/AHzxm69MLN
Martin quickly became a fan favorite in Las Vegas. Aces veterans, like A'ja Wilson, took the rookie under their wings. She couldn't have been in a better environment for her first season in the league.
The 24-year-old averaged only 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 11.5 minutes per game (34 contests), but those numbers don't tell the whole story of what Martin gave Las Vegas. She made enough of a positive impact on Nakase for the Valkyries to select her in the expansion draft.
A'ja Wilson perfectly sums up what it was like to play with Kate Martin
Wilson answered questions from fans on Sunday on Threads. One user asked what the best part about playing with Kate was, to which A'ja said, "Kate's energy was contagious! Never backed down from anyone." That's quite the compliment from the best player in the league.
That mentality helped Martin get drafted by the Aces in April and again earlier this month by the Valkyries. It will also help her enjoy a long career in the WNBA, a tough league for young players to find their footing in.
Martin will now play an instrumental one in the league's newest organization, an incredible opportunity for someone who didn't know if they'd be drafted in the first place. The past eight months have been quite the ride for Martin, but she didn't get to where she is now because of luck. It's a testament to all of the work she's put in.
Golden State fans already have an idea of what kind of player their new favorite team is getting in Martin, and soon enough, they'll fully understand why the Valkyries made the guard one of their expansion draft priorities.