Kate Martin Explains What Has Done 'Wonders' For Her Amid Unrivaled Success
One of the most intriguing stories to come from the Unrivaled 3x3 women's basketball league so far is the success that former Iowa Hawkeyes and current Golden State Valkyries standout Kate Martin has realized.
Despite being one of Unrivaled's youngest players, Martin has shined during her Laces BC team's three games (all of which the Laces have won). She has averaged 11 points per game while shooting at an efficient clip, playing solid defense, and displaying a high basketball IQ.
She contributed 11 points on 5 of 11 shooting during her team's 83-79 win over Vinyl BC on January 24. And after the game, Martin spoke about what has allowed her to succeed this offseason.
"Well that's much appreciated, but I don't know. I've always had confidence in myself," Martin said when asked about the love she has been shown from fans throughout Unrivaled, per an X post from Moreau Sports Media.
"But also it's fun because it's 3-on-3, and it's meant to be fun. This is meant to really enjoy the time with your teammates. And you don't play with these people in the WNBA season, so it makes it really fun getting to know everybody.
"And also because it's so fun, it's just going out there and playing free," Martin added. "And that'll do wonders for a basketball player and any athletes, being able to go out there and play free."
She then added, "So I've just been really trying to do that, and that's thanks to this guy on my right and all of my teammates for believing in me... they believe in me so much, and that helps. More than anything it's just going out there and showing what you worked on for your whole life."
Unrivaled’s Laces forward Kate Martin was asked about her receiving a lot of love from her teammates and fans alike. She talks about her growth and her confidence as a player pic.twitter.com/bKUVQvXFtc
— Moreau Sports Media Prod Co. (@MoreauSportsCo) January 25, 2025
Everything seems to be coming together for Martin right now, both on and off the Unrivaled court.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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