Kate Martin attends WNBA draft to support Caitlin Clark, gets drafted by Las Vegas in second round
Iowa’s Kate Martin, left, poses for a photo with WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, right, after being selected 18th overall by the Las Vegas Aces during the second round of the WNBA basketball draft on Monday, April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
NEW YORK (AP) — Kate Martin traveled to the WNBA draft to support her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark and ended up getting drafted by the Las Vegas Aces.
Martin was selected 18th overall by the defending champions.
“There are a lot of emotions right now,” Martin said in an interview on ESPN. “I’m really happy to be here. I was here to support Caitlin, but I was hoping to hear my name called. All I wanted was an opportunity and I got it. I’m really excited.”
Martin was among the 1,000 fans who were inside the Brooklyn Academy of Music, seated next to her former Iowa teammates Gabbie Marshall and Jada Gyamfi. As she heard her name called, she hugged Hawkeyes assistant coach Jan Jensen.
“I’m super excited for the opportunity. I have a really good work ethic,” Martin said.
She helped Iowa reach the NCAA title game for the second straight season and finished her career with 1,299 points, 756 rebounds and 473 assists.
Along with Clark, who was drafted first by Indiana, Iowa had two players selected in the draft for the first time since 1998.
The league will open training camp on April 28 and the season starts May 14.
The Aces didn’t have any picks in the first round, but made the most of three second-round choices. Las Vegas also chose Syracuse guard Dyaisha Fair, who finished as the third-leading scorer in NCAA Division I history, with the 16th pick.
The team closed out the round by drafting Virginia Tech’s Elizabeth Kitley, who is recovering from a torn ACL. She’s out for the season and showed up on crutches.