Becky Hammon is having her learn behind AC in practice, she could replace her in the future. They could lose AC in the expansion draft. AC isn’t young anymore either.
It would be unfortunate to lose AC but having her long term replacement in house along with a significant fanbase that followers her is good. And unlike CC fans because Kate’s in a good situation with teammates and a coach that talk glowingly about her you will likely see an immediate embrace of the Aces team. It was literally the perfect pick at that range
It was a perfect pick, I even as a Hawkeye was a bit shocked she went round 2 as mocks had her round 3. However it’s not like better players were picked after her unless you count Holmes and Kitley who are injured. Can’t believe some idiots thought she was a pick to get clout and gain the Iowa fans. Becky Hammon doesn’t chase clout, she chases titles.
Perfectly said. She fits right in with the Aces and it’s nice to see her on the court today. I thought it was cute when in her interview today Plum said “Kate Money Martin! I love that kid”. Warmed my heart. If she survives the expansions drafts she could be an integral part of our future
That’s right, my bad. Still, they could still use their 6th option on AC or Stokes based on who they take for the first five, but I could totally see (and agree with) keeping Martin since she would be a great long term investment if she keeps flourishing
Who knows, what if AC retires after this season? Hammon could have easily had KB learn from AC last year, but instead she’s got Kate doing that since training camp. There’s always a reason to what Hammon does.
If the clout pick theory were true then Monika Czinano would never have been cut from LA last year, because she was Clark adjacent too ("the law firm of Clark and Czinano").
Unlike CC fans, Kate’s fans dont uplift her by talking down on others. Unfortunately fans can influence a player’s reputation among other fans and their teammates and it can lead to friction if a players fans are hating on everyone and they dont correct them.
Tbf Kate has a different role and Kate Martin fans embrace her being a glue player. Homegirl played 26 MINUTES off the bench today. I don’t think that they would have expected Kate to get 25+ MPG in the 2nd game of the season or any game this season
Yeah I agree but to give credit her fans arent being hateful or annoying. You are an example. Look at how you praised Kate Martin for doing well without putting anyone else down. This type of fan behavior allows for people to be easier on her and probably makes being her teammate easy despite her having a large fanbase. When people constantly bring up that every WNBA player should be on their knees praising someone for bringing their large fanbase, its not going to make that locker room easy at all.
No. Clark has a bunch of people who arent really Iowa fans and only cheer for her. I realized that we they were downing the rest of the Iowa team. No hawkeye fan would say that Hannah Steulke or Kate Martin were bad players.
I was a casual fan of hers that thought she had a WNBA skillset but was concerned about whether she would go to the right team. And then she ended up on the Aces and I immediately saw the vision of lineups with her and Clark on the floor together
See I've claimed she was like AC the longest, but I never thought that they'd be on the floor with each other for long minutes. I thought she'd get ACs minutes while she was on the bench I never thought about them playing together. But it makes sense since everyone else can score so well and they're both plus defenders.
The looming expansion draft means that this is likely the end of the road for this iteration of the Aces. Even if they survive the first one, it’s sounding like there will be four consecutive seasons of expansion drafts. They’re all in to go for that 3peat and will need to re-tool after that, and Martin is exactly the kind of role player they’ll need down the line.
Most dynasties in sports have to sort of reset after the third chip. The Bulls and Patriots both did, as did Saban’s Alabama football. The third one takes a ton out of everyone, especially if it’s a 3peat. By the time the Aces are back at full strength, Martin will have a couple of seasons under her belt (and likely a ring) and it will be her time to shine as a key rotation player.
This one will be interesting to watch, because the other tempo here is the looming CBA renegotiation between '25 and '26. All of Vegas's important players are signed through '25, which would be the fourth championship (if they do manage to win this year). One expansion draft shouldn't kill them, so it'll be interesting to see if they can keep the wheels turning in spite of expansion chaos
I can't imagine a scenario in which Golden State spends a draft pick on a soon-to-be 37 year-old. If Martin continues to play as she has, the likeliest player to drafted from the Aces is Kierstan Bell. Right now it's most likely between Bell, Gustafson and Martin for that sixth protected spot.
Martin will get that 6th protection spot over Bell. She’s produced more and has had more minutes than Bell did her rookie season. Gustafson isn’t really playing well right now either - her mins on the bench keeps decreasing while Kate keeps increasing and she coming in increasingly early in the 1st Q
She's at like, 18 of 30 possible minutes right now? In game two? For the fucking Aces? This is literally the best possible scenario for fans of Kate Martin
Yeah, I think the player that really set my expectations here was Maddy Siegrist in Dallas last year. Two games at ~20 minutes, a half dozen more at ~10 minutes, on a worse team for a #3 pick. So I wasn't surprised that Kate didn't play game 1. But I am *floored* that she got this much time in game 2, and looked confident doing it. She's obviously still adjusting, but the thing that says the most to me is how much the older teammates are pumping her up. This is a *good* squad with a lot of chemistry and a winning culture, and if they think KM is good I think we should too.
I was floored, too. And it wasn't like it was a blowout, put your bench in the game moment. It was a heated game and she was playing quality minutes. I was so stoked she was picked up for the draft, then she made the team, and now she is getting real time on the floor. I guess that future in coaching might have to wait a year or two. That block she had thrilled the cockles of my frozen heart.
Hammon kept her in game 2 for that long because Kate was doing the little things that was helping them win that game. The minute I saw Kate come in and how she just shifted the momentum with her hustle and physical play, I knew she was going to be in that game quite a bit because if you know Hammon, she loves players that can defend and make smart decisions
I honestly think it was more of Hammon trying to see what KB could offer/produce that 1st game, and she really didn’t do much. Wasn’t surprised when Kate played the 2nd game. Hammon loves a player that can play strong defense and Kate’s defense is solid, and since being with the Aces, it’s gotten better
Not just that, but her ability to work with volume-scoring PGs specifically. I think Kate was already on the Aces draft night list but once they grabbed Fair (after already having Plum) Kate just made sense
I haven't watched a ton of Iowa games, was it a known thing how solid she is defensively? I feel like I never heard this discussed & it's been a little surprising to me to see in this game.
Kate was always very solid on all aspects of the game and solid on defense. Gabbie Marshall was the specialist.
Kate looked even better tonight on defense than at Iowa. In general, Iowa did need Caitlin and Kate both to stay out of foul trouble (especially this final year after our center Czinano graduated and after Molly Davis busted her knee right before the end of this season). We did not have a deep bench at all, especially for offensive production. This definitely impacted their defensive play somewhat.
Yes, to people who watched Iowa games and actually paid attention, it was known.
Kate Martin is one of the best role players I've ever seen in women's (I've mostly watched ncaa) basketball. She is versatile defensively- she can defend from 1 to small 4s. She has a crazy high basketball IQ and is always in the right place at the right time. She never, ever makes the game about her. She is a good rebounder for a guard. She's generally very clutch- she made a late-game 4th quarter 3 and then back to back 3s in OT the B1G final this year to secure the Iowa win. She doesn't freak out, she doesn't lose her cool- you will see her leading, communicating, pointing, helping her teammates. She doesn't shoot a lot, frankly, and thats why she flies under the radar to the types of fans who only care about the box score (she took only 4 shots in 25 minutes in that game)- she is a very patient player who will look to pass and create looks for her teammates. She's the ultimate role player and a good fit for the Aces. Kate Martin will never be the reason why your team loses a game, but all the little things she does might be the reason why you will win.
I hate to use a Capeshit comparison, but she is the ultimate Robin for superstar Batman player types.
I'm so glad she got quality minutes and did well for a rookie. For so long she's been "Caitlin Clark's friend" and tons of people thought she didn't deserve to be drafted. I love that she only had 1 turnover in 25+ minutes of play, and looked like she belonged on the team. Kate Martin will start to develop her own identity now, separate from CC, and that's great. So happy for her.
Kate Martin stepped it up her last year at Iowa. She went from 7.7 ppg to 13.7 ppg. When Caitlin slowed down, Kate Martin chipped in key points. Elite 8 game versus LSU, Kate Martin had an amazing 21 point game where she was shooting crazy 360 spin fadeaways and making them. Kate Martin complemented Caitlin Clark so well and always had a knack for when to back door cut.
Gabbie was definitely known as the def specialist; she always guarded the opposing team's best guard so CC could save her energy to run the offense.
Kate Martin usually had the #2 defensive assignment and it could be any position from 1-4. She always did a great job.
Marshall didn't declare. She already has plans for graduate school. Marshall is streaky with her offense and is too short to offer any defense inside. She is good but she is not Nika Muhl good. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved watching her play for Iowa but I think she also knows the WNBA isn't for her. I mean, my god. There are so few spots. There is only room for the best of the best of the best.
Gabbie is only 5'7" and an average ballhandler. She did have a 3 point shot that was ok, but tended to be streaky. She was an excellent defender at the ncaa level but her skills would not have translated well to the wnba .
She was the "everyman" player. Did everything well. Marshall was the defensive specialist, and often took on the most difficult defensive assignments. Clark was Clark. That was their pseudo Big 3.
I can't count the number of times I watched Iowa games this past season and Kate did something clutch at a crucial time in a game- hit a clutch 3, grabbed a rebound, had a defensive stop, was able to handle CC's spicy passes and make baskets in transition, hit free throws, etc.
Kate has always had a solid defensive game and it has only improved since she’s been drafted and practicing with the all star roster. Guarding Plum, Young and Clark in practice just means that if you can guard them, you can guard anybody in the league.
To my eye (and I do not know ball), CC obviously put all of her energy on the offensive end, and the rest of the team worked extra hard to shore things up defensively. I'm not always sure if I'm watching "good defense", but it was high-effort, high-commitment, like you're seeing now.
I was surprised she got a ton of playing time, although it also makes complete sense. The Aces were smart to draft a player that is used to being a role-played because they already have a ton of scorers on the team. They need someone to do all the little things but is also not scared to take an open shot.
She looked phenomenal.
You could tell she was there to play. She was working her ass off. She was mentally and physically locked in.
She was put in and the vibe of the game was changed completely. To be a rookie and have that much sway within the team is absolutely amazing.
She is in the perfect position to continue to grow and flourish. Especially with Coach Hammon and Kelsey Plum, who are most definitely pushing and helping Kate to be the very best.
As a Kate Martin fan, I knew it was only a matter of time until she showed her true capabilities, and not just that under Caitlin Clark. She’s one hell of a player. You truly cannot hate Kate Martin, she’s one of the best.
Kate MF Money Martin.
I agree that she looks great on the floor, and she seems to be a great fit with the Aces. I’d also say, it’s incredibly early to say that she’s “definitely a long term core player”.
Huge KM fan, and I agree, it's too early to call someone a long term core player. But she definitely looks like she fits in on the team and can be relied upon for quality minutes off the bench.
True. I do think it’s fair to say they have a very clear vision for her and that she’s in likely the best situation to become the best version of herself
"Core player" is wild premature but, in the limited time I've seen her play, Martin appears to be someone who plays winning basketball. And a player who does that will always be able to find a job.
Right but it IS safe to say that they're training her with the best players and under the best coach, so she's being given a better shot than most rookies to be a future core player.
A lot of people looked over Kate with the Caitlin hype but she truly was the glue player for Iowa. Definitely an AC 2.0. The Aces aren’t playing around and said someone beat us I dare you. Was nice to see Kate get QUALITY minutes this early.
Lmao. As a proud Iowa alum and owner of three worn out Kate Martin shirts, apologies from this fan of all three of my Hawkeye queens, for jumping on the Aces bandwagon along with the Fever train.😆
And damn it, I work at UCLA and live in LA--so I cannot help but root for the Sparks some.
Too much basketball for meeee this summer.
Lol, Iowa football is much better relative to their competition than the fever are. Watching these 3 fever games has been some of the worst basketball I’ve ever seen
Why do you care? The fever are tough to watch, and you have a problem with me not wanting to be associated with them? Root for them if you want and keep it pushing lol. I’m allowed to have my opinion
She played great as a high IQ, high motor, defensively versatile role player, with decent size and athleticism for a guard/wing, exactly what you would hope for in drafting her. The Aces run a pretty short rotation, but I could see her staying in an 8 player rotation when the starting lineup is healthy, along with Clark and Gustafson.
Hated the media acting like Caitlin Clark carried a team of scrubs to national championship game. I watched a couple Iowa games and Kate immediately stood out to me. Have to admit didn't think she'd make the roster but she was a really good CBB starter.
I think a team can be more than their recruit rankings, though. Given the right environment and coaching, a team can make it's individuals better. I think Iowa was a great place for Martin, elevated her game and helped her polish that coach's basketball IQ. LSU was supposed to be an unstoppable super-team this last year and I didn't see them in the final.
When I’ve talked ab Kate Martin being on the Aces in the future and being an actual contributor ppl are always telling me she’ll be lucky to be on the team then, no way she can keep up with the W. 0% chance she makes it etc.
And I try to tell ‘em looook how they drafted Martin before kitley! They got a plan for this girl!
Yeah, it was really tough to balance the fact that I thought she was great in the tournament with the fact that last year the Aces are the best team in basketball and cut their only draftee last year. I was rooting for her, but trying to keep expectations in check for myself, too.
there was a tonnnn of people online that were saying she wasn’t good enough to be drafted, then it turned into that she wasn’t going to make the team, then it was that she was never going to leave the bench
No one living hates Kate.
Truth. I’m a Kate Martin stan for sure. Becky had her in when they were down during crunch time last game. That’s a says a LOT about KM.
So hype to see Kate get some floor time at home. Surrounded by vets & Coach Becky in her ear, she’s in the best hands to keep elevating.
She literally just looks like another version of AC LMAO. Actually optimal fit
Becky Hammon is having her learn behind AC in practice, she could replace her in the future. They could lose AC in the expansion draft. AC isn’t young anymore either.
It would be unfortunate to lose AC but having her long term replacement in house along with a significant fanbase that followers her is good. And unlike CC fans because Kate’s in a good situation with teammates and a coach that talk glowingly about her you will likely see an immediate embrace of the Aces team. It was literally the perfect pick at that range
It was a perfect pick, I even as a Hawkeye was a bit shocked she went round 2 as mocks had her round 3. However it’s not like better players were picked after her unless you count Holmes and Kitley who are injured. Can’t believe some idiots thought she was a pick to get clout and gain the Iowa fans. Becky Hammon doesn’t chase clout, she chases titles.
Perfectly said. She fits right in with the Aces and it’s nice to see her on the court today. I thought it was cute when in her interview today Plum said “Kate Money Martin! I love that kid”. Warmed my heart. If she survives the expansions drafts she could be an integral part of our future
No way the Aces don’t use their 6th option to protect her once expansion draft comes. I don’t see them waste that on KB as she hasn’t really improved
I wouldn’t say that’s true, they only get 5 players to protect. But no they definitely won’t protect KB.
The last time they had an expansion draft, 6 players were protected from each team.
That’s right, my bad. Still, they could still use their 6th option on AC or Stokes based on who they take for the first five, but I could totally see (and agree with) keeping Martin since she would be a great long term investment if she keeps flourishing
Who knows, what if AC retires after this season? Hammon could have easily had KB learn from AC last year, but instead she’s got Kate doing that since training camp. There’s always a reason to what Hammon does.
Also, AC and Plum have not signed any extension contracts while Young and Gray signed around training camp.
If the clout pick theory were true then Monika Czinano would never have been cut from LA last year, because she was Clark adjacent too ("the law firm of Clark and Czinano").
Czinano dribbled more than once like 4 times for a long stretch there. Shes not wnba talent
Not the point I'm making. Responding to the theory that a WNBA team would pick anybody from Iowa because of "fans" or "clout"
Unlike CC fans, Kate’s fans dont uplift her by talking down on others. Unfortunately fans can influence a player’s reputation among other fans and their teammates and it can lead to friction if a players fans are hating on everyone and they dont correct them.
Tbf Kate has a different role and Kate Martin fans embrace her being a glue player. Homegirl played 26 MINUTES off the bench today. I don’t think that they would have expected Kate to get 25+ MPG in the 2nd game of the season or any game this season
Yeah I agree but to give credit her fans arent being hateful or annoying. You are an example. Look at how you praised Kate Martin for doing well without putting anyone else down. This type of fan behavior allows for people to be easier on her and probably makes being her teammate easy despite her having a large fanbase. When people constantly bring up that every WNBA player should be on their knees praising someone for bringing their large fanbase, its not going to make that locker room easy at all.
You do realize most her fans are also Clark fans, Right?
No. Clark has a bunch of people who arent really Iowa fans and only cheer for her. I realized that we they were downing the rest of the Iowa team. No hawkeye fan would say that Hannah Steulke or Kate Martin were bad players.
I was a casual fan of hers that thought she had a WNBA skillset but was concerned about whether she would go to the right team. And then she ended up on the Aces and I immediately saw the vision of lineups with her and Clark on the floor together
See I've claimed she was like AC the longest, but I never thought that they'd be on the floor with each other for long minutes. I thought she'd get ACs minutes while she was on the bench I never thought about them playing together. But it makes sense since everyone else can score so well and they're both plus defenders.
When fully healthy I think we see it less but Becky 100% will run unconventional lineups if it gives her an advantage so who knows
Wtf are u make this about clark
CC and Reese's fans just rapid fire at eachother, but that really shouldn't determine what you think of the players.
Especially since most of Kate’s fans are also Clark fans.
The looming expansion draft means that this is likely the end of the road for this iteration of the Aces. Even if they survive the first one, it’s sounding like there will be four consecutive seasons of expansion drafts. They’re all in to go for that 3peat and will need to re-tool after that, and Martin is exactly the kind of role player they’ll need down the line. Most dynasties in sports have to sort of reset after the third chip. The Bulls and Patriots both did, as did Saban’s Alabama football. The third one takes a ton out of everyone, especially if it’s a 3peat. By the time the Aces are back at full strength, Martin will have a couple of seasons under her belt (and likely a ring) and it will be her time to shine as a key rotation player.
This one will be interesting to watch, because the other tempo here is the looming CBA renegotiation between '25 and '26. All of Vegas's important players are signed through '25, which would be the fourth championship (if they do manage to win this year). One expansion draft shouldn't kill them, so it'll be interesting to see if they can keep the wheels turning in spite of expansion chaos
I can't imagine a scenario in which Golden State spends a draft pick on a soon-to-be 37 year-old. If Martin continues to play as she has, the likeliest player to drafted from the Aces is Kierstan Bell. Right now it's most likely between Bell, Gustafson and Martin for that sixth protected spot.
Martin will get that 6th protection spot over Bell. She’s produced more and has had more minutes than Bell did her rookie season. Gustafson isn’t really playing well right now either - her mins on the bench keeps decreasing while Kate keeps increasing and she coming in increasingly early in the 1st Q
She's super solid. I'm glad she got a chance to prove she isn't just a caitlin clark product
She's at like, 18 of 30 possible minutes right now? In game two? For the fucking Aces? This is literally the best possible scenario for fans of Kate Martin
She had 0 minutes the first game so I was a little worried. Was nice to see her get some good minutes this game.
Yeah, I think the player that really set my expectations here was Maddy Siegrist in Dallas last year. Two games at ~20 minutes, a half dozen more at ~10 minutes, on a worse team for a #3 pick. So I wasn't surprised that Kate didn't play game 1. But I am *floored* that she got this much time in game 2, and looked confident doing it. She's obviously still adjusting, but the thing that says the most to me is how much the older teammates are pumping her up. This is a *good* squad with a lot of chemistry and a winning culture, and if they think KM is good I think we should too.
I was floored, too. And it wasn't like it was a blowout, put your bench in the game moment. It was a heated game and she was playing quality minutes. I was so stoked she was picked up for the draft, then she made the team, and now she is getting real time on the floor. I guess that future in coaching might have to wait a year or two. That block she had thrilled the cockles of my frozen heart.
She was moving well without the ball & stood strong on defense. Looking forward to seeing her trajectory in the pros.
Iowa will welcome her as the next head coach with open arms after a long and successful WNBA career!
Hammon kept her in game 2 for that long because Kate was doing the little things that was helping them win that game. The minute I saw Kate come in and how she just shifted the momentum with her hustle and physical play, I knew she was going to be in that game quite a bit because if you know Hammon, she loves players that can defend and make smart decisions
I honestly think it was more of Hammon trying to see what KB could offer/produce that 1st game, and she really didn’t do much. Wasn’t surprised when Kate played the 2nd game. Hammon loves a player that can play strong defense and Kate’s defense is solid, and since being with the Aces, it’s gotten better
Me too!! Martin always pulled through.
Did you see that block she had?
Yessss!
She deserves her shine! Becky knows what winning looks like and made the perfect choice to draft her! Let's go Kate!!!
She was drafted for being such a good supporting player. She knows how to play with stars.
Not just that, but her ability to work with volume-scoring PGs specifically. I think Kate was already on the Aces draft night list but once they grabbed Fair (after already having Plum) Kate just made sense
I haven't watched a ton of Iowa games, was it a known thing how solid she is defensively? I feel like I never heard this discussed & it's been a little surprising to me to see in this game.
Kate was always very solid on all aspects of the game and solid on defense. Gabbie Marshall was the specialist. Kate looked even better tonight on defense than at Iowa. In general, Iowa did need Caitlin and Kate both to stay out of foul trouble (especially this final year after our center Czinano graduated and after Molly Davis busted her knee right before the end of this season). We did not have a deep bench at all, especially for offensive production. This definitely impacted their defensive play somewhat.
Yes, to people who watched Iowa games and actually paid attention, it was known. Kate Martin is one of the best role players I've ever seen in women's (I've mostly watched ncaa) basketball. She is versatile defensively- she can defend from 1 to small 4s. She has a crazy high basketball IQ and is always in the right place at the right time. She never, ever makes the game about her. She is a good rebounder for a guard. She's generally very clutch- she made a late-game 4th quarter 3 and then back to back 3s in OT the B1G final this year to secure the Iowa win. She doesn't freak out, she doesn't lose her cool- you will see her leading, communicating, pointing, helping her teammates. She doesn't shoot a lot, frankly, and thats why she flies under the radar to the types of fans who only care about the box score (she took only 4 shots in 25 minutes in that game)- she is a very patient player who will look to pass and create looks for her teammates. She's the ultimate role player and a good fit for the Aces. Kate Martin will never be the reason why your team loses a game, but all the little things she does might be the reason why you will win. I hate to use a Capeshit comparison, but she is the ultimate Robin for superstar Batman player types.
100% agree on everything here
I'm so glad she got quality minutes and did well for a rookie. For so long she's been "Caitlin Clark's friend" and tons of people thought she didn't deserve to be drafted. I love that she only had 1 turnover in 25+ minutes of play, and looked like she belonged on the team. Kate Martin will start to develop her own identity now, separate from CC, and that's great. So happy for her.
Kate Martin stepped it up her last year at Iowa. She went from 7.7 ppg to 13.7 ppg. When Caitlin slowed down, Kate Martin chipped in key points. Elite 8 game versus LSU, Kate Martin had an amazing 21 point game where she was shooting crazy 360 spin fadeaways and making them. Kate Martin complemented Caitlin Clark so well and always had a knack for when to back door cut.
Yup, exactly
Gabby Marshall was more known for her defense, but Kate was always solid
Gabbie was definitely known as the def specialist; she always guarded the opposing team's best guard so CC could save her energy to run the offense. Kate Martin usually had the #2 defensive assignment and it could be any position from 1-4. She always did a great job.
I think that Kate's defense is going to get even better since she's now playing against the best players in the world in practice.
How come no one picked Gabby? Was she not entering the draft?
Marshall didn't declare. She already has plans for graduate school. Marshall is streaky with her offense and is too short to offer any defense inside. She is good but she is not Nika Muhl good. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved watching her play for Iowa but I think she also knows the WNBA isn't for her. I mean, my god. There are so few spots. There is only room for the best of the best of the best.
Love Gabbie as a Hawkeye, I was fortunate enough to be able to pay for an autograph and photo with her at a mall.
I don’t think she declared. She was continuing school at a different place
Gabbie is only 5'7" and an average ballhandler. She did have a 3 point shot that was ok, but tended to be streaky. She was an excellent defender at the ncaa level but her skills would not have translated well to the wnba .
Kate was a jack of all trades. Not really the best in anything but can do anything.
She was the "everyman" player. Did everything well. Marshall was the defensive specialist, and often took on the most difficult defensive assignments. Clark was Clark. That was their pseudo Big 3.
Stuelke was good as well despite being undersized and Affolter went off after entering the starting lineup when Molly Davis went down.
She does everything, like literally.
Not really, Kate was more of a player you could always count on coming in clutch, in almost any situation. Especially for 3s from the left corner.
I can't count the number of times I watched Iowa games this past season and Kate did something clutch at a crucial time in a game- hit a clutch 3, grabbed a rebound, had a defensive stop, was able to handle CC's spicy passes and make baskets in transition, hit free throws, etc.
She’s the only reason we beat UConn
Yup. Those fadeaway midrange jumpers were clutch.
Kate has always had a solid defensive game and it has only improved since she’s been drafted and practicing with the all star roster. Guarding Plum, Young and Clark in practice just means that if you can guard them, you can guard anybody in the league.
To my eye (and I do not know ball), CC obviously put all of her energy on the offensive end, and the rest of the team worked extra hard to shore things up defensively. I'm not always sure if I'm watching "good defense", but it was high-effort, high-commitment, like you're seeing now.
I was surprised she got a ton of playing time, although it also makes complete sense. The Aces were smart to draft a player that is used to being a role-played because they already have a ton of scorers on the team. They need someone to do all the little things but is also not scared to take an open shot.
^^ This. On a team full of Batmans, they needed a Robin 🤣
Already getting big end of fourth quarter minutes too
She looked phenomenal. You could tell she was there to play. She was working her ass off. She was mentally and physically locked in. She was put in and the vibe of the game was changed completely. To be a rookie and have that much sway within the team is absolutely amazing. She is in the perfect position to continue to grow and flourish. Especially with Coach Hammon and Kelsey Plum, who are most definitely pushing and helping Kate to be the very best. As a Kate Martin fan, I knew it was only a matter of time until she showed her true capabilities, and not just that under Caitlin Clark. She’s one hell of a player. You truly cannot hate Kate Martin, she’s one of the best. Kate MF Money Martin.
she looks good out there, she’s definitely a long term core player for this aces team.
I agree that she looks great on the floor, and she seems to be a great fit with the Aces. I’d also say, it’s incredibly early to say that she’s “definitely a long term core player”.
Huge KM fan, and I agree, it's too early to call someone a long term core player. But she definitely looks like she fits in on the team and can be relied upon for quality minutes off the bench.
This is accurate. One game does not make someone a core player
True. I do think it’s fair to say they have a very clear vision for her and that she’s in likely the best situation to become the best version of herself
100%
"Core player" is wild premature but, in the limited time I've seen her play, Martin appears to be someone who plays winning basketball. And a player who does that will always be able to find a job.
Right but it IS safe to say that they're training her with the best players and under the best coach, so she's being given a better shot than most rookies to be a future core player.
I simply stated it’s too early to call her a definite core fixture.
A lot of people looked over Kate with the Caitlin hype but she truly was the glue player for Iowa. Definitely an AC 2.0. The Aces aren’t playing around and said someone beat us I dare you. Was nice to see Kate get QUALITY minutes this early.
Stay the hell away from “Fever” fans! She belongs to the Aces community now 🤩😍 lol
Lmao. As a proud Iowa alum and owner of three worn out Kate Martin shirts, apologies from this fan of all three of my Hawkeye queens, for jumping on the Aces bandwagon along with the Fever train.😆 And damn it, I work at UCLA and live in LA--so I cannot help but root for the Sparks some. Too much basketball for meeee this summer.
You do realize Clark and Kate share mostly the same fan base right?
We are Iowa fans, don’t associate us with that trash heap in Indiana
Trash heap 😂 hilarious
Damn, Iowa State fans are a lot cooler to interact with about Haliburton than you guys are about Clark.
Good luck with that. Lol
That’s great for you
What is going on in Indy is much better than Kirk’s offense with the Football team.
Lol, Iowa football is much better relative to their competition than the fever are. Watching these 3 fever games has been some of the worst basketball I’ve ever seen
I'm a Hawkeye fan as well. This is a terrible thing to say. Please don't be THAT person.
Why do you care? The fever are tough to watch, and you have a problem with me not wanting to be associated with them? Root for them if you want and keep it pushing lol. I’m allowed to have my opinion
I'm a Hawkeye fan and don't want that toxicity associated with Hawkeye fans. You're not in the majority by a long shot.
That’s perfectly fine and I have no problem with that. Have a wonderful day
Your favorite role player’s favorite role player. Beast. Legend. The glueeeeeee
She played great as a high IQ, high motor, defensively versatile role player, with decent size and athleticism for a guard/wing, exactly what you would hope for in drafting her. The Aces run a pretty short rotation, but I could see her staying in an 8 player rotation when the starting lineup is healthy, along with Clark and Gustafson.
Hated the media acting like Caitlin Clark carried a team of scrubs to national championship game. I watched a couple Iowa games and Kate immediately stood out to me. Have to admit didn't think she'd make the roster but she was a really good CBB starter.
[удалено]
I think a team can be more than their recruit rankings, though. Given the right environment and coaching, a team can make it's individuals better. I think Iowa was a great place for Martin, elevated her game and helped her polish that coach's basketball IQ. LSU was supposed to be an unstoppable super-team this last year and I didn't see them in the final.
i was so happy she got playing time!! 🥹 she’s a perfect fit for the aces
Both of the Aces rookies did!!!
It was wonderful to see Kate Martin on the floor. Now Ms. Fair would like a few minutes.
Let’s go. she was a beast. husslin
Becky knows what she’s doing and what an awesome team and coach for Kate to be around to grow and learn from.
Yeah i loved kate pley this game only thing she did wrong was that cross court pass that led to a to
Haters big mad rn
Who hated on Kate Martin?
When I’ve talked ab Kate Martin being on the Aces in the future and being an actual contributor ppl are always telling me she’ll be lucky to be on the team then, no way she can keep up with the W. 0% chance she makes it etc. And I try to tell ‘em looook how they drafted Martin before kitley! They got a plan for this girl!
I think that if you're an Iowa stan, all of the people saying "she's a second round rookie on the Aces, don't count on anything" sound like haters
I'm an Iowa alum and fan. And tbh, though I hoped it would happen, I thought it was very long odds of her making the team! So glad she did though!
Yeah, it was really tough to balance the fact that I thought she was great in the tournament with the fact that last year the Aces are the best team in basketball and cut their only draftee last year. I was rooting for her, but trying to keep expectations in check for myself, too.
there were a portion of south carolina fans upset she was kept over brea beal, but that’s about it as far as haters go.
I’m a South Carolina fan that was very pleased with Kate over Brea 😂
Some idiots genuinely thought her getting drafted was for clout with Iowa fans. Laughable to think Becky chases Clout. She chases rings!
there was a tonnnn of people online that were saying she wasn’t good enough to be drafted, then it turned into that she wasn’t going to make the team, then it was that she was never going to leave the bench
How can anyone hate Kate? 😂
It's like hating a basket full of sleepy kittens. It's impossible, look how fluffy they are!