PHOENIX— Golden State Valkyries taking pictures guard Kate Martin, who goes by “Cash Martin,” is seizing each alternative within the WNBA whereas remaining a fan favourite.
All through her faculty profession, Martin performed for the Iowa Hawkeyes alongside her teammate, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Underneath head coach Lisa Bluder, Martin was a part of two groups that superior to the Ladies’s Nationwide Championship sport.
Martin was chosen 18th total within the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Las Vegas Aces and spent her rookie season studying from her teammates, akin to A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Younger, and Chelsea Grey. Taking part in beneath head coach Becky Hammon, Martin immediately grew to become a fan favourite in Sin Metropolis.
“I really like that child,” Plum mentioned of Martin, in a December 2024 article from the Golden State Valkyries. “She picks up issues so shortly, she’s a tremendous sponge. Becky nicknamed her Kate ‘Cash’ Martin. I believe that’s going to stay. And after I say ‘cash,’ it’s not nearly scoring, she’s simply in the fitting place on the proper time. She makes folks higher.”
I had the chance to interview Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton and Kate Martin earlier than the sport tonight! Keep tuned for my unique interviews with them for Ballislife coming quickly! 🤩 #WNBA
Picture credit go to Hannah Hayworth pic.twitter.com/nF5qZ9GgD9
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) August 23, 2025
In the course of the 2024 WNBA Growth Draft, the Golden State Valkyries chosen Martin, giving her a chance to construct her legacy with a brand new franchise. Now in her second season beneath head coach Natalie Nakase, a former assistant to Hammon, she is averaging 6.2 factors and a couple of.6 rebounds per sport.
Because the Valkyries look to safe a playoff berth regardless of accidents, Martin enjoys each second in Golden State’s inaugural season. Extra importantly, the workforce has made a major impression in attracting followers within the Bay Space, and has shattered information as an growth workforce.
Ballislife caught up with Martin to debate about her takeaways from her sophomore season with the Valkyries.
Ballislife: What are your greatest takeaways out of your sophomore WNBA season thus far?
Martin: “My takeaways thus far—my second WNBA season—I’d say I’m having a whole lot of enjoyable. I really like my teammates, I really like the Bay Space. We’re exceeding a whole lot of expectations. So it’s been actually enjoyable. And personally, I’ve excessive expectations for myself as properly. And so there’s a whole lot of issues that I’ve grown in my sport and a whole lot of issues that I can nonetheless work on. However total, I’m very grateful to be the place I’m at.”
Ballislife: You performed your rookie yr with the Las Vega Aces. Now, in your first season with Golden State, you’re making an impression each as off the bench and a starter. How do moments like this aid you in your profession in the long run?
Martin: “It helps me having good perspective for my teammates who may not get a whole lot of minutes as a result of I’ve been there, but additionally for my teammates who get a whole lot of minutes, as a result of I’ve additionally been there. And so simply understanding that I at all times have to manage what I can management, and that’s at all times my perspective and energy, and that’s nothing anyone can ever take away from me. And whether or not I’m taking part in a whole lot of minutes or taking part in a little bit little bit of minutes, then I do know that I can at all times go in and impression the sport if I management my perspective and my effort.”
Ballislife: Now you’re taking part in in entrance of the Golden State Valkyries crowd, who ranks first in attendance. What does that say concerning the assist from the followers?
Martin: “It’s superb. Our followers are so loud, they’re so enjoyable. We really feel actually grateful for them. It’s simply that town has actually embraced us, and we really feel grateful for that. And so from tip-off to the ultimate buzzer, our followers are screaming and cheering loud for us. And so it feels actually good to know that we’ve that further push on the Chase Heart.”
Ballislife: What has it been like studying from Natalie Nakase as your head coach?
Martin: “It’s been nice. Natalie (Nakase) is kind of coach you at all times need to play for—any individual who’s tremendous fiery, and cares so much. Tremendous keen about basketball, tremendous keen about her gamers, and cares about us like we’re her personal youngsters. And so I really feel grateful that I get to play for somebody like her.”
Ballislife: How’s it like attending to attending to embrace that playoff push, though the Valkyries have been coping with a whole lot of accidents? What’s the groups’ mindset proper now?
Martin: “Lots of people have seen—we’ve had a whole lot of adjustments all year long on our roster— and we’ve at all times had the subsequent lady up mentality. And Temi (Fagbenle) had one of the best quote earlier within the yr, is that we’re a workforce stuffed with six ladies, and so we’ve all been ready the place we have to step up and our roles change.”
“And so with this playoff push, with a pair accidents right here and there, I do know that we’re going to be okay, as a result of it’s the subsequent lady up. All people on our workforce is prepared, from participant one right down to participant 12. And so we’re simply going to maintain pushing, keep collectively and proceed to win some video games.”
Kate Martin and the Golden State Valkyries will subsequent face Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Sunday.
