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Whenever Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin meet on a WNBA court, it’s bound to be a highly anticipated matchup after all of the lasting memories they created for fans together while playing at the University of Iowa.
Unfortunately, Clark won’t be in the lineup for the Fever when they travel to San Francisco to face the Valkyries at the Chase Center on Sunday. Clark has missed the last six weeks with a groin injury suffered in a July 15th win over the Connecticut Sun and she’s played in just 13 of Indiana’s 38 games this season owing to the groin and other ailments.
Regardless, Clark has remained on the road with the Fever, so it’s likely that she’ll at least get to re-connect with her best friend Martin while her team is briefly in town for Sunday’s game. Clark left a funny message on Martin’s latest Instagram post, an advertisement for a hydration drink, joking about Martin comparing her own style to Adam Sandler.
“Adam Sandler style comp is crazy,” Clark commented.
“It’s true,” Martin replied.
Clark may have been the star of the show when her and Martin were playing together at Iowa, but she hasn’t had the best luck when she’s been healthy and on the floor against Martin’s teams in the WNBA. Martin has a 4-0 career record against Clark in the WNBA, and one of those performances was among the most memorable of her young career so far.
Kate Martin makes her rounds among the Iowa contingent, including Lisa Bluder and Jan Jensen, after a dream night here against Caitlin Clark and the Fever in Vegas @SportingTrib #ALLINLV #FeverRising #WNBA pic.twitter.com/Aim9rSOdl3
— Will Despart (@WillDespart) May 26, 2024
With Lisa Bluder, Jan Jensen and a contingent full of her Iowa Hawkeyes family in attendance to watch her first WNBA meeting with Clark in Las Vegas in May 2024, Martin tallied a then career high 12 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds in a 99-80 win over the Fever. In her other three matchups against Clark, she’s scored a combined 14 points.
Sunday’s game is set to tip off at 8:30 EDT/5:30 EDT and will be broadcast live nationally on NBA TV. Before then, the Valkyries are set to square off against the Washington Mystics at the same time on Saturday.
