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Golden State Valkyries standout Kate Martin is already among the most beloved players in the WNBA, despite her only having played one season of professional basketball.
Of course, a large part of this is owed to the fanbase she built during her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes. And during a February 19 interview that current Iowa women’s basketball head coach Jan Jensen did with Blake Hornstein of Hawkeye Headquarters, Jansen asserted why it has been great to see Martin reach these heights.
“The coolest thing for me about Kate’s story is Kate is truly the American Dream,” Jansen said, per an X post from Hornstein. “I think Kate was one of those players, the way she played and her humility, but also her grit, and that little, you know, glisten in her eye and that confidence, it just resonated, right? And you could see the glue, which she became.
“Then when she got that break to go to the pros, really good coaches know that there’s a lot of things that happen with those glue kids,” Jensen continued. “And to see her become a star on the WNBA level, although she was a role player, I loved everything about that story. Because that’s life a lot of times. If you just keep plugging away, and maybe you’re not always the one with the corner office, right? But you’re the one that makes that organization work. And then if given the chance, Kate is gonna kill you.”
She later added, “She’s just the greatest young woman.”
Kate Martin: The Glue, and the American Dream
Jan Jensen says everything that made Martin an elite role player is what’s helping her succeed in the pros
“To see her become a star on the WNBA level, although she was a role player, I loved everything about that story…” pic.twitter.com/jWb890M1dh
— Blake Hornstein (@BlakeHornTV) February 19, 2025
It’s really cool to hear Martin’s former coach articulate how all of Martin’s fans feel when getting to watch her compete on the court.
