Fiery Kate Martin–Skylar Diggins Exchange Ends in Double Technical at Unrivaled

Unrivaled has seen its fair share of competitive spats on the court during the 3-on-3 league’s second season, with Kate Martin and Skylar Diggins adding to that on Tuesday night.

During a contest between Breeze BC and Lunar Owls, things got chippy between Martin (who plays for Breeze) and Diggins (who suits up for the Owls). With 22.9 seconds left in the third quarter, Diggins drove in on Martin and scored, and then followed that up by gesturing and sending some pointed words in Martin’s direction.

Martin didn’t seem to appreciate Diggins’ approach and got in her face as they moved across court, appearing to mock her a bit in return. The pair were each issued a technical foul in the process, with Martin holding her arms in the air to indicate she didn’t feel her role in the exchange warranted the call.

Whether the tech was warranted or not, fans certainly took notice of the back-and-forth with many offering praise of Martin’s moxie in not backing down from Diggins—who is no stranger to spicy interactions on the floor.

The Lunar Owls would go on to win the game by a final score of 75-70. Diggins had 23 points and 5 assists in the win, while Martin struggled, scoring just two points on 1-5 shooting.

Unrivaled Delivers Another Fiery Moment

For the most part, Unrivaled’s format and centralized location have created a relaxed atmosphere for participants. But that hasn’t prevented competitive tensions from boiling over during game action.

Paige Bueckers recently went viral for her reaction to a foul call during her 1-on-1 tournament loss to eventual champion Chelsea Gray. While WNBA legend and Unrivaled commentator Lisa Leslie drew attention for her assessment of a play that saw Brittney Griner rake Aliyah Boston across the face.

RELATED: Lisa Leslie Calls Out Brittney Griner’s Flagrant Foul to the Face at Unrivaled

“Listen, I think that was extra and I think it’s excessive and if that was my face I probably would have punched her,” Leslie said then.

Unrivaled is gearing up for the playoffs and another tour stop (the league is housed in Miami), following up on their Philadelphia event by holding the semifinals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

If Unrivaled hopes to build momentum at the conclusion of the second season, more exchanges like the one between Martin and Diggins can’t hurt, as long as they come in the spirit of competition.

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