PHOENIX— Golden State Valkyries shooting guard Kate Martin, who goes by “Money Martin,” is seizing every opportunity in the WNBA while remaining a fan favorite.
Throughout her college career, Martin played for the Iowa Hawkeyes alongside her teammate, Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark. Under head coach Lisa Bluder, Martin was part of two teams that advanced to the Women’s National Championship game.
Martin was selected 18th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Las Vegas Aces and spent her rookie season learning from her teammates, such as A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, and Chelsea Gray. Playing under head coach Becky Hammon, Martin instantly became a fan favorite in Sin City.
“I love that kid,” Plum said of Martin, in a December 2024 article from the Golden State Valkyries. “She picks up things so quickly, she’s an amazing sponge. Becky nicknamed her Kate ‘Money’ Martin. I think that’s going to stick. And when I say ‘money,’ it’s not just about scoring, she’s just in the right place at the right time. She makes people better.”
I had the opportunity to interview Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton and Kate Martin before the game tonight! Stay tuned for my exclusive interviews with them for Ballislife coming soon! 🤩 #WNBA
— Aya Abdeen (@ayabdeen) August 23, 2025
Photo credits go to Hannah Hayworth pic.twitter.com/nF5qZ9GgD9
During the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft, the Golden State Valkyries selected Martin, giving her an opportunity to build her legacy with a new franchise. Now in her second season under head coach Natalie Nakase, a former assistant to Hammon, she is averaging 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game.
As the Valkyries look to secure a playoff berth despite injuries, Martin enjoys every moment in Golden State’s inaugural season. More importantly, the team has made a significant impact in attracting fans in the Bay Area, and has shattered records as an expansion team.
Ballislife caught up with Martin to discuss about her takeaways from her sophomore season with the Valkyries.
Ballislife: What are your biggest takeaways from your sophomore WNBA season so far?
Martin: “My takeaways so far—my second WNBA season—I would say I’m having a lot of fun. I love my teammates, I love the Bay Area. We’re exceeding a lot of expectations. So it’s been really fun. And personally, I have high expectations for myself as well. And so there’s a lot of things that I’ve grown in my game and a lot of things that I can still work on. But overall, I’m very grateful to be where I’m at.”
Ballislife: You played your rookie year with the Las Vega Aces. Now, in your first season with Golden State, you’re making an impact both as off the bench and a starter. How do moments like this help you in your career in the long term?
Martin: “It helps me having good perspective for my teammates who might not get a lot of minutes because I’ve been there, but also for my teammates who get a lot of minutes, because I’ve also been there. And so just knowing that I always have to control what I can control, and that’s always my attitude and effort, and that’s nothing anybody can ever take away from me. And whether I’m playing a lot of minutes or playing a little bit of minutes, then I know that I can always go in and impact the game if I control my attitude and my effort.”
Ballislife: Now you’re playing in front of the Golden State Valkyries crowd, who ranks first in attendance. What does that say about the support from the fans?
Martin: “It’s amazing. Our fans are so loud, they’re so fun. We feel really grateful for them. It’s just that the city has really embraced us, and we feel grateful for that. And so from tip-off to the final buzzer, our fans are screaming and cheering loud for us. And so it feels really good to know that we have that extra push at the Chase Center.”
Ballislife: What has it been like learning from Natalie Nakase as your head coach?
Martin: “It’s been great. Natalie (Nakase) is type of coach you always want to play for—somebody who’s super fiery, and cares a lot. Super passionate about basketball, super passionate about her players, and cares about us like we’re her own children. And so I feel grateful that I get to play for someone like her.”
Ballislife: How’s it like getting to getting to embrace that playoff push, even though the Valkyries have been dealing with a lot of injuries? What’s the teams’ mindset right now?
Martin: “A lot of people have seen—we’ve had a lot of changes throughout the year on our roster— and we’ve always had the next woman up mentality. And Temi (Fagbenle) had the best quote earlier in the year, is that we’re a team full of six women, and so we’ve all been in a position where we need to step up and our roles change.”
“And so with this playoff push, with a couple injuries here and there, I know that we’re going to be okay, because it’s the next woman up. Everybody on our team is ready, from player one down to player 12. And so we’re just going to keep pushing, stay together and continue to win some games.”
Kate Martin and the Golden State Valkyries will next face Paige Bueckers and the Dallas Wings on Sunday.
