Kate Martin officially became one of the first members of the upstart Golden State Valkyries franchise on Friday night.
WNBA teams were allowed to protect six players on their rosters ahead of the 2024 WNBA expansion draft, but the Las Vegas Aces left Martin up for grabs. Golden State took advantage and made Martin one of 11 players it selected from 11 different teams.
"I'm really excited," Martin said on the ESPN broadcast. "This league is all about opportunity, and you just need one shot, right? I'm very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there, but I'm really excited for this new beginning and to build something from the ground up with the Valkyries."
Martin's college teammate for four years at Iowa, Caitlin Clark, also chimed in about the news.
"Let's go Kater!!!!!" Clark wrote on her Instagram story.
Martin, the No. 18 pick in the 2024 draft, quickly became a beloved member of the Aces' roster. A bunch of her now former teammates reacted to Martin departing Southern Nevada for the Bay Area, including three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson.
"My baby, so happy for you, you are a gem," Wilson wrote on her Instagram story. "Now we gotta give you and [coach Natalie Nakase] 50."
Money Martin
— Chelsea Gray (@cgray209) December 7, 2024
Damn Money🥲
— Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) December 6, 2024
Kate gets to SF and starts calling Nat “Coach Nakase”. Acting different already @SydJColson.
— Alysha Clark (@Alysha_Clark) December 6, 2024
I told Kate not to join the show and here she go🤦🏾♀️
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) December 6, 2024
Martin will now head into the next chapter of her WNBA career in the Bay. Those first matchups against her buddies on the Aces and Fever are likely circled on her 2025 calendar.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson React to Valkyries Taking Kate Martin in WNBA Expansion Draft.
