Aces lose fan favorite to WNBA expansion team

Aces guard Kate Martin was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in Friday’s expansion draft.

Joining the WNBA’s newest franchise is the latest chapter in a storybook journey that saw the two-time champion Aces select Martin while she was sitting in the crowd at the 2024 draft.

The Valkyries, the 13th WNBA organization, will begin play next season under former Aces assistant coach Natalie Nakase.

Picks were announced in team alphabetical order in a live show from San Francisco on ESPN. Martin’s group was announced by rapper E-40.

The Valkyries could select one player from each of the 12 existing franchises. Teams were allowed to protect six players from being drafted.

Martin averaged 2.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 11.5 minutes per game last season as a rookie.

When the Aces selected Martin with the No. 16 pick out of Iowa in April, Nakase was a vocal proponent of the decision. During an ESPN “SportsCenter” appearance after Friday’s draft, Martin said Nakase is “somebody you’re going to want to run through a brick wall for.”

Martin averaged nearly 20 minutes over her first 10 games with the Aces, but her playing time decreased when point guard Chelsea Gray returned from injury 12 games into the season.

Martin also sustained an Achilles injury in the Aces’ final game before the Olympic break.

She was a fan favorite everywhere, drawing roaring applause any time she entered a game. Her jersey was among the top five in sales last year.

“I am 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 here with the Valkyries” Martin said. “This league is all about opportunity, and you only need one shot.”

The Aces thanked Martin in a statement Friday.

“Although we are sad to see her leave, being selected by Golden State shows the value Kate possesses in this league, and we all wish her nothing but the best as she continues her career with the Valkyries,” the Aces said. “As with anyone who has been a member of this historic franchise, once an Ace, always an Ace, and Kate will always be a member of the Las Vegas Aces family.”

Martin was described as “glue” for the locker room by Gray. The rookie was doted on by three-time MVP A’ja Wilson, who reacted to the news via social media Friday.

“My baby. You are a gem,” Wilson wrote. “Now we gotta give you and (Nakase) 50 (points).”

Martin was also mentored by 13-year WNBA veteran Alysha Clark. Aces coach Becky Hammon often compared Clark and Martin, saying that Martin could have similar longevity because of her work ethic.

Martin has said that competitive nature is what brought her and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark so close at Iowa. The friend-teammate duo advanced to the NCAA championship game and lost to South Carolina, both getting drafted to the WNBA a week later and playing against one another multiple times last season.

Hammon told the Review-Journal on Tuesday that she and Martin had been keeping in touch.

“For her, I thought a break was really important, just because of how her college season went and this first year in the league. She really has not had any downtime,” Hammon said. “I thought getting away from the game would be very good for her.”

But Martin has been focused on her game, saying Friday that she wants to become a better defender next season while also improving her speed and shot.

“My focus has just been getting better,” Martin said. “I had a decent rookie season, but I just know something that’s really cool about me is that my ceiling is really high.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.