Jan Jensen praises ex-Iowa star for WNBA success

Kate Martin spent five seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes before making the big move to the WNBA. The guard averaged 8.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists and was not predicted to be picked in the 2024 WNBA draft.

Martin was in attendance at the draft night to support her best friend Caitlin Clark, who was selected by the Indiana Fever as the No. 1 pick. However, to everyone’s including her own surprise, Kate Martin was picked No. 18 by the Las Vegas Aces.

She had a solid run as a rookie and Iowa Hawkeyes coach Jan Jensen commented on Martin’s basketball journey in an interview. In a video shared by WHBF’s Blake Hornstein, Jensen said:

“The coolest thing for me about Kate’s story is (that) Kate is truly the American Dream. Because what I loved about our team and I still love, is I think everybody in Carver they kinda pick up a player they kinda want to be, wish they were, or that, ‘ I identify, I am her.’

“I think Kate was one of those players, the way she played, her humility but also her grit, and that little glisten in her eye and confidence; it just resonated and you see ‘the glue’ that she became.”

Jan Jensen pointed out that a lot of Martin’s success in the WNBA was due to realizing her potential. The coach added:

“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 the timesfif you just keep plugging away and maybe you’re not always the one with the corner office but you’re the one that makes the organization work, if given the chance Kate is gonna kill you.”

Jan Jensen pointed out the instances from the Final Four game against UConn during last year’s March Madness, when Martin played the “dirty” role in defense. She also highlighted the guard’s ability to shine and draw people in whenever she was given extra minutes in games.

Kate Martin prepares for a transition in her second year

After showing the world glimpses of her incredible skills during the rookie season, Kate Martin continued her exploits in Unrivaled, the 3×3 women’s professional league founded by Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

Martin is set to begin her sophomore season in May, but she will be playing in a new team after she was picked by the Golden State Valkyries expansion team in December’s expansion draft.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash