Leaving Kate Martin Behind, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young Bond With LV Aces’ Next Future Star

Throughout the 2024 WNBA season, there were uproars that Kate Martin wasn’t being given the deserved time on the court. While she had meager numbers, the Iowa-alum was projected as the next big thing among the Las Vegas Aces rookies. However, what has come as a surprise is that Aces star Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young were seen bonding with another Aces rookie, who many opine might take over Martin’s throne in the next season.

As per a post by the Aces’ official handle on X on Saturday, Gray and Young were seen enjoying quality time with Elizabeth Kitley. The three were spending time at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. Their snaps were reshared by Gray who captioned it as “Loved our time there. Everything was incredible. Thank you having us! 😊.”

The three posed by what seems to be a hot tub with specially designed bath robes with their names and numbers threaded on the back, similar to their jerseys. Kitley was surely enjoying the treatment and the company. The Aces drafted her as the 24th overall in the second round of the draft this year. Though many fans opine that she should have been a first-round pick, Kitley suffered a torn ACL in the 2023-24 NCAA regular season, limiting her opportunities. Nonetheless, the Aces decided to invest in her.

“Did not know and expect her to be there at our pick, so we definitely had to grab her,” the Aces general manager Natalie Williams spoke about drafting Kitley. And she too like others believed that the Virginia Tech alum should have been in the top 10 if not for her injury. If the No. 33 takes the floor again, she will aid A’ja Wilson and Becky Hammon to have another big at hand. Even famous podcaster Callie Fin has opined that “Liz Kitley loading,” which could “be a huge difference maker.” Meanwhile, Martin will have to up her amp if she wants to be a main part of the roster.

Kate Martin’s disappointing season

“Kate Martin is awesome. Kate Martin picks up things so quickly; she’s an amazing sponge,” the Aces star Kelsey Plum had opined of Martin. Despite her words, it cannot be ignored that Martin is learning and somewhere she didn’t have enough changes to prove herself. Though she had the experience of playing two back-to-back Championship Finales, the 24-year-old wasn’t utilized in the playoffs against the Liberty. She played just one game and that too for a paltry 3 minutes. Hence, it looks like as of now the Aces don’t have many plans with the guard.

‘Kate “Money” Martin’ as she is called by her teammates tried to make a place for herself, albeit failed. However, one performance that can shift the tide in her favor is when she hit 13 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in June against the Los Angeles Sparks. Therefore, Martin should look to develop her skills in the off-season and try to fit into the team.

As for Kitley, she looks to be the next big thing in the Aces roster. And hopefully, she will get enough chances to show her mettle. And it will be interesting to see who will have to warm the benches if she is included in the starting five.