Kate Martin made the journey to the WNBA draft to show her support for her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark and found herself drafted by the Las Vegas Aces.
In an emotional moment, Martin was chosen 18th overall by the defending champions.
Reflecting on the experience in an interview on ESPN, Martin expressed a mix of emotions, saying, “There are a lot of emotions right now. I’m really happy to be here. I was here to support Caitlin, but I was hoping to hear my name called. All I wanted was an opportunity and I got it. I’m really excited.”
Seated among the 1,000 fans at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Martin found herself alongside former Iowa teammates Gabbie Marshall and Jada Gyamfi. As her name was announced, she shared a heartfelt hug with Hawkeyes assistant coach Jan Jensen.
Martin played a crucial role in helping Iowa reach the NCAA title game for the second consecutive season, concluding her college career with impressive stats: 1,299 points, 756 rebounds, and 473 assists.
With Clark being selected first overall by Indiana, Iowa celebrated having two players drafted for the first time since 1998.
The WNBA’s training camp is set to commence on April 28, with the season kicking off on May 14.
Although the Aces didn’t have any first-round picks, they capitalized on three second-round choices. Alongside Martin, Las Vegas also secured Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair, known for her stellar scoring record, with the 16th pick. Rounding out their selections, the team drafted Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley, who is currently recovering from a torn ACL and was present at the draft on crutches.
