Indiana Fever superstar guard Caitlin Clark isn’t the only WNBA rookie from her Iowa Final Four squads.
Kate Martin played four seasons with Clark at Iowa from 2020 to 2024. Clark, the No. pick in the WNBA Draft, gave a shout out to her former teammate during the week of April 28 on Instagram as WNBA training camps got underway. Martin went to the Las Vegas Aces with the No. 18 pick in the second round of the draft on April 15.
“Hey welcome! @katemartin03. Good choice,” Clark wrote.
Clark told the media on May 2 that they stay in touch “every single day” though states apart between Indiana and Nevada.
“She’s obviously one of my best friends, so even if she wasn’t in training camp with the Aces I would still be talking to her,” Clark told reporters. “… We can just bounce ideas off each other, whether it’s life or basketball. Obviously I just want the best for her no matter what.”
Kate Martin Survived Latest Aces Roster Cuts
Martin made it through the latest rounds of roster cuts on May 6 as the Aces cut Bria Hartley, Kamaria McDaniel, and Angel Jackson that day according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Because of roster limits, WNBA teams don’t always keep the rookies they drafted — even a second-round pick.
“I hope she can make that team,” Clark said. “She’s a pro player. She brings every asset that you could possibly want — whether it’s shooting, defense or leadership. In my eyes she’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around in my entire life.”
“… She’s somebody I can always lean on and rely on, whether she’s my teammate, whether she’s just my friend — I wish she was still my teammate,” Clark added. “I’m just really happy and excited for her.”
At Iowa, Martin averaged eight points per game over five seasons. She played right away as a freshman in 2019, and Martin hit her career high scoring average at 13.1 points last season.
A 6-foot-0 guard, Martin also averaged 4.6 rounds and 2.9 assists for her career. She shot 54% from the field and 35% from three-point range.
Martin gets a chance to earn her keep on May 7 when the Aces take on the Phoenix Mercury in preseason action. She embraces the challenge she’s up against.
“I’ve been trying to take it day by day,” Martin told Will Despart of The Sporting Tribune on May 3. “Some days I feel I do really good and some days I may not be hitting my shots. No matter what, I’m trying to make sure my 110 percent effort is there and I’m going hard every single practice, every single time I’m out on the court.”
Kate Martin Earned Nickname ‘Money’ With Teammates
Martin also has the unique privilege of competing for a spot with the WNBA’s back-to-back defending champions. She competes alongside a loaded lineup that includes A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young. Despite being a rookie, Martin has earned their respect and a nickname to go with it.
“Kate Martin is awesome. Kate Martin picks up things so quickly, she’s an amazing sponge,” Plum told reporters on May 6. “I think Becky nicknamed her Kate ‘Money’ Martin. I think that’s gonna stick.
“And when I say ‘money,’ it’s not just about scoring and stuff, she’s just in the right place at the right time. She just makes people better. And that’s what Becky values, that’s what our coaching staff values and that’s why she’s gonna be a great asset to our team.”
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