Iowa’s Kate Martin was chosen by the Las Vegas Aces within the second spherical of the WNBA Draft on Monday in Brooklyn, N.Y. She was picked 18th total.
Martin was the second Hawkeye to earn an expert alternative on Monday. Caitlin Clark was the No. 1 total choice by the Indiana Fever. That is the primary time Iowa has had two gamers chosen in the identical WNBA draft since 1998.
“To be trustworthy, I do not assume I might have the kind of profession if I haven’t got a teammate like Kate,” Clark mentioned about Martin main as much as the 2024 nationwide championship sport. “She’s been one which has had my again. She holds me accountable. I maintain her accountable. However I feel on the identical time, me and Kate are wired so equally that we get one another on a unique degree … She’s top-of-the-line leaders I have been round. She needs the perfect for her teammates. She’s one of the vital selfless individuals.”
Extra:Iowa basketball’s Caitlin Clark chosen No. 1 total by Indiana Fever in 2024 WNBA Draft
Martin has been part of the Iowa program since 2018. She redshirted her first season after struggling ACL and lateral meniscus tears in her left knee. Over the following 5 seasons, she appeared in 163 video games, together with 139 begins. She scored almost 1,300 factors in her Hawkeye profession.
“I’m so happy with Kate as a result of her desires got here true,” Iowa coach Lisa Bluder mentioned. “She has been such an enormous a part of our program during the last six years. Her efforts didn’t go unnoticed by her friends. I want Kate all of the success with this subsequent step.”
Clark’s meteoric rise garnered a lot of the highlight, however Martin was among the many supporting solid that additionally carved out a particular place within the hearts of Iowa followers. Martin performed key components in Iowa’s run to back-to-back nationwide championship video games, although the Hawkeyes fell brief in every. The 2023-24 season, her remaining enjoying for the Hawkeyes, was her best, averaging 13.1 factors and 6.8 rebounds per sport, each of which had been career-highs.
“I used to sleep with an Iowa ladies’s basketball poster on my ceiling,” Martin mentioned after Iowa’s loss to South Carolina within the 2024 nationwide championship sport. “So to be on this place and be with coach (Lisa) Bluder and make it to back-to-back nationwide championships, I simply really feel tremendous grateful. It is as a result of I labored actually onerous, and I dreamed massive. I am not some All-American, five-star recruit out of highschool. I by no means was. And folks believed in me, I believed in myself, and right here I’m.”
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Martin joins former Hawkeye teammate Megan Gustafson in Las Vegas. The Aces have received the final two WNBA championships.
The Edwardsville, Ailing., native has spoken about her need to get into the teaching occupation. After enjoying her remaining sport at Carver-Hawkeye Enviornment — a tightly contested win over West Virginia — Martin expressed curiosity in finally teaching at Iowa.
“I simply do not feel like that is my finish right here at Iowa,” Martin mentioned that day. “I really feel like hopefully sooner or later I will be again right here in some capability. I hope sooner or later I can coach right here or no matter. It isn’t tremendous unhappy for me. I simply really feel tremendous grateful.”
However she wasn’t planning to embark on a training profession earlier than at the very least attempting to proceed her enjoying days.
“I need to proceed enjoying basketball,” Martin mentioned in March. “I hope I get a possibility for a coaching camp. Or I hope I get drafted. I do not know. I hope that occurs for me.”
And now, Martin will get that chance.
Observe Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact through e mail at ttachman@gannett.com