WNBA Expansion Draft by the Golden State Valkyries. Kate Martin, a former Iowa Hawkeyes guard, was selected in the WNBA Expansion Draft by the Golden State Valkyries, giving her a fresh start in professional basketball. In her inaugural season with the Las Vegas Aces, Martin appeared in 34 games but averaged only 11.5 minutes per game.
Martin is averaging 16.3 minutes per game this season, but that figure is slipping decreasing. Martin has averaged just under 12 minutes per game across her previous four outings. This also excludes a healthy DNP against the Dallas Wings last week.
Martin played only six minutes against the Atlanta Dream on Tuesday, despite making her only three-pointer. Speaking with reporters following Martin’s DNP versus Dallas last week, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase emphasised Golden State’s short schedule and the necessity to manage minutes appropriately.
“We’ve got six games in ten days. “We had six games in 12 days before the break,” she explained (via ClutchPoints’ Kenzo Fukuda). “So I’m just kind of being mindful and so we’ll see moving forward because that is not a lot of downtime.”
As the Valkyries prepare for a back-to-back against the Washington Mystics on Thursday, the schedule and injury report may allow Martin to return to the lineup. Natalie Nakase may turn to Kate Martin due to Valkyries’ injuries.
In addition to the expected absence of All-Star forward Kayla Thornton, who underwent season-ending knee surgery, the Valkyries confirmed Monique Billings has been ruled out due to an ankle ailment. Cecilia Zandalasini, who hit the game-winning shot against Atlanta on Tuesday night, is listed as questionable due to a left foot issue.
Nakase must now decide how to handle the rotation after losing two major players in Thornton and Billings, as well as maybe another in Zandalasini. Could Martin be the solution? Despite not being a frontcourt player like Thornton or Billings, Martin has made two starts this season in three-guard lines.
She started on July 9 against the Indiana Fever, alongside Tiffany Hayes and Veronica Burton. Nakase employed the same three-guard lineup against the Los Angeles Sparks on May 16.
Given Golden State’s injury problems, Martin may potentially play more minutes even if he does not start against Washington on Thursday. In 23 games this season, the second-year guard has averaged 6.7 points and 2.3 rebounds.
