The former Iowa standout has experienced a dramatic stretch in 2026. After beginning the season with the Los Angeles Sparks, Martin was waived near the end of August. Instead of allowing that setback to define her season, she quickly found another opportunity when the Chicago Sky signed her to a developmental contract.
That change brought Martin back into the spotlight, this time wearing No. 20 for Chicago. For a player whose professional career has already included several changes of scenery, another opportunity represents more than simply joining a new roster. It is another chance to compete, contribute and continue showing why she earned a place in the WNBA.
For Hawkeye fans who followed Martin throughout her Iowa career, the situation feels familiar in one important way. Martin has built her reputation around persistence. She was never the player who needed everything to come easily. Her value developed through effort, versatility, unselfish play and a willingness to do the small things that help a team succeed.
Now, with another opportunity in front of her, that same mentality matters.
The message surrounding Martin’s current chapter is one of resilience, gratitude, belief and refusing to give up. Those themes have followed her from Iowa City into professional basketball, where roster decisions can change quickly and opportunities can appear just as suddenly.
Martin’s journey has already included the Las Vegas Aces, the Golden State Valkyries and the Los Angeles Sparks before her move to Chicago. Each stop has given her a different experience, while also adding another layer to a professional career that remains in progress.
Her time with the Sparks ended with disappointment, but it did not end her WNBA story.
That distinction is important.
Being waived can be one of the most difficult moments for any professional athlete, particularly when a player has invested months into earning a role. Yet Martin’s next move showed that one organization’s decision does not necessarily determine what comes next.
Chicago gave her another door to walk through.
For Martin, the opportunity also comes with a chance to reconnect with the qualities that made her such a popular figure among Iowa supporters. During her five seasons with the Hawkeyes, she became known not only for what she could produce statistically, but also for the way she approached the game.
She played 163 games at Iowa, ranking among the program’s leaders in games played and assists. She helped the Hawkeyes reach the national championship game in consecutive seasons, experiences that helped establish the competitive identity fans still associate with her.
That history explains why so many supporters continue to follow her professional journey closely.
They have watched Martin face uncertainty before. They have watched her accept new roles, adjust to different teams and keep working when circumstances changed. Her current situation is another test of that approach.
The Chicago opportunity does not guarantee a permanent roster spot or a larger role. A developmental contract provides a pathway for continued development and gives Martin another chance to show what she can offer when an opportunity arrives.
That is where the next part of her story will be written.
For fans, however, the emotional takeaway is simple: Martin is still fighting.
The setbacks have not erased the work she has put into her career. They have not changed the memories she created at Iowa, and they have not removed the possibility of what she can still accomplish in Chicago.
Her journey is not finished.
And for the Hawkeye fans who have supported her from Iowa City to the WNBA, that may be the message they have been waiting to hear.
Kate Martin still believes.
She still wants to compete.
She still has another opportunity.
She still has something to prove.
And her supporters will be watching every step of the journey.
As the 2026 season moves toward its final stretch, all eyes will be on what Martin does with the opportunity Chicago has given her. Whatever happens next, her response to adversity could become one of the most meaningful parts of her professional story.
The next chapter is waiting.
