Former Hawkeye Kate Martin made her debut for the Golden State Valkyries

Kate “Money” Martin had an interesting path to the WNBA. During the 2024 WNBA Draft, all the hype surrounded the future No.1 overall pick, and Martin’s former Iowa teammate, Caitlin Clark.

Martin was in attendance when Clark heard her name called as the first overall pick, and mentioned she was just there to support her friend and former teammate. What happened next, she was not expecting.

The Las Vegas Aces took a chance and drafted Martin with the No. 18 overall pick in the second round. She was shocked, but was ready to get to work. It is no guarantee that she was going to make the Aces roster as a second-round pick, but her determination paid off.

In May 2024, the Aces announced Martin had made the roster. After not receiving an invite to the 2024 WNBA Draft, Martin was the only player to make a roster. She had a solid rookie campaign and aided the Aces when dealing with multiple injuries.

Following the 2024 season, she was selected by the newly formed Golden State Valkyries in the 2024 Expansion Draft.

Martin was the sixth player selected in the Expansion Draft, and will don the black and purple of the Valkyries for the 2025 WNBA season.

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, became the thirteenth WNBA franchise on October 5, 2023, with their inaugural season beginning in 2025. On Tuesday night, “Money” Martin and the Valkyries took the floor for the first time at the Chase Center in Oakland, California.

In their first-ever game, the Valkyries fell 83-82 to the Los Angeles Sparks. In her Valkyries debut, Martin finished with eight points, three rebounds, and two steals in 18 minutes off the bench. She shot 25 percent from the field and 14 percent from three-point range.

Martin has the chance for a new start with a new team and will attempt to carve out a larger role in her second WNBA season.