Tag: Kate Martin

Caitlin Clark told her BFF Kate Martin to ‘come guard me’ before Fever vs. Aces

These two have the best relationship.

The friendship between Caitlin Clark and her former Iowa teammate Kate Martin has always been the sweetest, whether it’s been consulting about outfits or exchanges as honorary captains.

And this time, before Clark’s Indiana Fever and Martin’s Las Vegas Aces faced off, they had a funny exchange: Clark tickled her, they posed for a photo and then Clark had one request.

“Please guard me, … when you get in, guard me,” Clark said with a wink.

Simply the best. Here’s that exchange before the Aces emerged with an 86-75 win over the Fever. The two teams will play again on Friday in Indiana, so maybe we’ll see more of this:

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The entire Aces team classily shielded Kate Martin from cameras after a scary on-court injury

The Aces absolutely adore Kate Martin, and it shows.

The way the Las Vegas Aces love Kate Martin is so incredibly heartwarming.

Kate has spoken at length about the love and support she has received from A’ja Wilson and the entire Aces team. Martin wasn’t sure she would be drafted, but since landing with the organization, they have uplifted her, including finding ways to jokingly troll the rookie on her birthday.

On Tuesday, during an upset loss to the Chicago Sky, Kate suffered an apparent injury after trying to advance a play against Dana Evans. The whole team immediately rushed to her side, shielding her from nearby cameras as they comforted her and gave her a moment to gather herself.

Postgame, A’ja Wilson explained why the team felt it was important to do that for Kate. Here’s what she shared with the media:

“I’m [gonna] take care of my rookie, no matter what….We’re going to take care of her no matter what because she’s one of us. She’s our sister. It’s someone that we’re going to always depend on and count on, but at the same time, cameras be getting in your business, and we won’t want that. We don’t need that.”

“So, we try to protect her peace, her mental, and just her emotions…I think for us, it just kind of cut on that we’re going to protect her at all costs because you never know what the internet or people may do.”

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Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin shared a really sweet exchange as honorary captains before Fever-Aces

Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin were honorary captains for the Fever-Aces game on Tuesday.

Former Iowa teammates Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin shared a really sweet moment with each other before Tuesday night’s WNBA game between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces.

Clark and Martin were both honorary captains for their respective teams, and they got a chance to greet at midcourt and share a quick laugh with each other right before tipoff of Tuesday’s contest.

This is exactly what you want to see for two old friends like Clark and Martin ahead of their second game against each other, as it’s clear their friendship is unaffected when it’s not time for competition.

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Kate Martin revealed that she and Caitlin Clark consult with each other about their WNBA pregame outfits

Kate Martin and Caitlin Clark are just too adorable.

Kate Martin revealed that she and Caitlin Clark strategize about their gameday tunnel fits, and it’s the most precious thing we’ve heard in quite some time.

Gameday tunnel outfits are a focal piece for the WNBA, which is highly involved in fashion and accessories. If you’ve seen our weekly WNBA pregame outfits roundup, you know the looks are SERIOUS.

Apparently, the rookies are aware that they have to bring it, too. Kate Martin recently revealed to Lindsay Schnell of USA TODAY that she and Caitlin Clark consult with one another to plan their outfits. Here’s what she told Schnell:

“We always send each other photos like ‘wait, do you like this outfit?'” Martin said, laughing.

“That’s a fun little piece about the WNBA. We were both nervous (at the beginning of the season) like, ‘What are we going to wear? We always just wear sweatpants!'”

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Kate Martin gave an awesome response for how she’s supporting Caitlin Clark from afar

Caitlin Clark has a heck of a friend in Kate Martin.

While they’re on two separate WNBA teams to start their professional careers, former Iowa standout Kate Martin had no problem throwing her full support behind her old teammate Caitlin Clark on Monday.

The two are very close friends, and Martin opened up about how she’s supporting Clark this season as she garners national attention with her WNBA debut with the Indiana Fever from afar.

To Martin, who now plays for the Las Vegas Aces, it comes down to being there for Clark off the court, having a listening ear and perhaps even talking about other things than basketball when the two get a chance to catch up.

“I don’t know if there’s too much I can do besides just be a friend, right?” Martin said, via Fox 5 News’ Paloma Villicana. “Caitlin’s phenomenal, and she is having a great rookie season. I think people are really hard on her and expecting her to be perfect. That’s unrealistic, right? … I’m going to support her through everything, right? She’s one of my best friends.”

That’s such a great response from Martin, who is clearly in Clark’s corner even though they’re now competitors in the WNBA.

Friendship runs far deeper than competition, of course.

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A’ja Wilson has taken rookie Kate Martin under her wing in Las Vegas

“She brings everybody else up around her…that’s the kind of leader she is.”

Kate Martin is having the time of her life with the Las Vegas Aces, and it’s because she’s living her dreams while being mentored by two-time WNBA champion A’ja Wilson.

Kate Martin had no idea that the Aces would draft her when she showed up to the 2024 Draft to support Caitlin Clark. But since that moment, her coaches and teammates, including A’ja Wilson, have openly welcomed her into the Aces’ family culture.

A’ja may joke with Kate off the court, but when it comes to basketball, Wilson’s leadership has tremendously helped Martin’s transition to the league. For The Win recently sat down with Kate Martin to talk about why her relationship with A’ja Wilson has been so impactful.

“She’s a great leader.” Martin said. “She brings everybody else up around her… That’s the kind of leader she is. She’s always encouraging me, telling me to believe in myself, and that’s the family culture I talked about.”

“They want to see each of us do good, and she wants to see the best in me. She wants me to believe in myself and take advantage of the opportunities that I have on the court. I think that’s just super cool to see a veteran, who’s the best player in the world, instill that confidence in myself.”

It seems that because of A’ja’s mentorship and the support from the rest of the team, Kate has absolutely nailed her rookie assignment — make the roster and ball out. Moreover, she says that there’s a reason why she looks so happy whenever cameras are nearby.

“I’m living out my dream right now,” Martin said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, and I’m with a super special group of girls who I really enjoy being around and really amazing coaches. So, I actually couldn’t ask for anything more.”

The Aces trolled Kate Martin by making her think she missed the team bus and we cannot stop laughing

We’re sorry (not sorry), Kate Martin. This is HILARIOUS.

Kate Martin was pranked by her Aces teammates, and we cannot stop laughing.

Since being unexpectedly drafted by the Aces in April, Kate Martin has fit right in with Las Vegas and the team’s carefree, happy-go-lucky culture. She’s been embraced by her teammates, and that’s gotta feel really good.

The Aces have created a family environment, and that means sometimes, you get trolled by your family. Newly released footage shows Kate Martin hysterically running after the Aces’ team bus (presumably after a team outing) and her teammates laughing away as she furiously runs to catch up, thinking they left her.

Thankfully, Martin eventually caught up with the bus, and she and her teammates had a good laugh about the whole thing.

UPDATE: There’s been a development. The Aces are still trolling Kate.

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Former Iowa star Kate Martin rocked Gamecocks gear for Aces teammate A’Ja Wilson ahead of preseason game in South Carolina

Former Iowa star Kate Martin became a South Carolina fan for a day to support her Aces teammate A’Ja Wilson.

With news that Las Vegas Aces superstar A’Ja Wilson is finally getting her own Nike shoe, some of her Aces teammates rocked South Carolina gear to support her during the team’s preseason.

Recent 2024 WNBA Draft pick Kate Martin of Iowa women’s basketball fame was among those supporting Wilson’s college team, which is really fascinating because of the on-court rivalry those two teams have had in the women’s NCAA tournament the past few years.

While South Carolina and Iowa aren’t necessarily big fans of each other on game days, Martin is now a teammate to one of the biggest names in women’s basketball in Wilson.

Plus, the Aces are playing in South Carolina against Puerto Rico for a preseason game, so the support is all the more endearing.

She’s used to playing with a great talent like Caitlin Clark, so being able to play with and support Wilson now is as good a reason as any to represent South Carolina for a day.

Hey, if we played with someone as great as Wilson on the court, we’d be ready to wear an opposing college team’s gear, too!

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Kate Martin earning high compliments from Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum

“The Glue” is doing her thing in Vegas. Kate Martin is earning high compliments from WNBA star Kelsey Plum and Aces head coach Becky Hammon.

Kate Martin is making waves bigger than many second-round WNBA draft picks do. That is in part due to how she endeared herself to Iowa Hawkeye fans during her career in Iowa City by playing hard-nosed basketball and always playing hard.

Fighting for a roster spot in the WNBA is no easy task as each team only carries 12 players. As a second-round pick, Martin is a bit of a longshot to make the roster, but she is hanging around.

Her new teammates are taking notice as well. The Las Vegas Aces have star power, guard Kelsey Plum, and one of the game’s best head coaches, Becky Hammon. Both are giving Martin flowers already.

“Kate Martin is awesome. Kate Martin picks up things so quickly; she’s an amazing sponge. 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,” Plum said of the rookie from Iowa.

Money is an accurate term for Kate Martin. At times during the Hawkeyes’ run in the NCAA Tournament, she had to take the basketball and get a bucket when Iowa needed it, and she never backed down from the moment.

Martin enjoyed a career year in her final season with the Hawkeyes, averaging 13.1 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. The Edwardsville, Illinois, native shot 50.7% from the field and 37% from 3-point range.

With the WNBA regular season set to tip off on Tuesday, May 14, Martin is inching closer and closer to having her ticket punched and solidifying her spot as a member of the Las Vegas Aces.

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Las Vegas Aces earn high marks from ESPN for drafting Kate Martin

Kate Martin has the “it” factor. It is hard to describe, but she has it. That has helped earn the Aces’ draft selection high marks.

When you are the two-time defending champions, you have the luxury of going after players that may be hidden during the draft process in an effort to find someone unsuspecting.

The Las Vegas Aces appear to have done that as they selected Kate Martin in the second round of the 2024 WNBA Draft. The Iowa guard joins Caitlin Clark as the two Hawkeyes that heard their names called.

The women’s basketball world and Iowa fans lit up when Martin heard her name called as she has become a fan favorite for her hard-nosed, gritty, tough play she always showed in big moments. This sort of mentality and toughness has helped the Aces earn high marks from ESPN for their selection of Kate Martin.

The two-time defending WNBA champions don’t have any obvious needs, and it’s possible none of these players makes the team, because it’s so hard to do.

But in Fair and Martin, the Aces took two different kinds of underdogs: Fair because of her 5-foot-5 size and Martin because she doesn’t really have an obvious position she fits into as a pro. But they’re both accustomed to being underestimated and proving people wrong. – Michael Voepel, ESPN

Kate Martin played guard for the Hawkeyes but she was often found in the paint unafraid to get physical for rebounds, defense, and loose balls. She has a three-point shot as her last two season at Iowa saw her hit 39.2% from behind the arc.

Martin likely faces an uphill battle to make the roster but that is something she welcomes. The gritty guard welcomes the challenge and if there is anyone who can steal a roster spot, Kate Martin is ready for the challenge.

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