Although Caitlin Clark is the center of attention as she starts her WNBA rookie season with the Indiana Fever, there are a number of former Iowa Hawkeyes making their professional debuts this season. The Las Vegas Aces selected Kate Martin, a teammate of Caitlin Clark from Iowa, with the 18th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. This season’s first meeting between the Fever and the Aces was scheduled to mark Martin and Clark’s first encounter as rivals. Before the game, according to Dice City Sports, they had a unique time together.
Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin played together for four years at Iowa. Martin arrived ahead of the 2018-19 season but did not make her NCAA debut until the 2019-20 season due to injury. Clark arrived ahead of the 2020-21 season. Martin ended up playing five seasons for the Hawkeyes while Clark played four.
As teammates, they helped lead Iowa to back to back national championship appearances in the NCAA Tournament. They were defeated by LSU in 2023 and lost to South Carolina in 2024. Martin had gone to the WNBA Draft in support of Clark whom everyone knew was going to be the top overall pick by the Fever.
Martin did not receive an invitation from the league to attend the draft as players who are thought to be guaranteed draft picks are often granted. She ultimately ended up being drafted though as the Aces selected her in the second round.
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