Kate Martin Sends 3-Word Message to Former WNBA Teammate Who Got Released
The WNBA can be a cutthroat business. With just 13 teams in the league and only 12 spots on each roster, the battle for playing time can get intense. Often, first-round picks and even seasoned veterans can get cut from rosters before and during the regular season.
The Golden State Valkyries, sitting in the eighth and final playoff spot heading into the All-Star break, have juggled numerous roster changes throughout an exhilarating inaugural season. Despite inconsistent minutes as of late, second-year Valkyries guard Kate Martin has become a fan-favorite and role player for the popular expansion franchise, weathering roster moves from the franchise, including one of her former teammates.
In July, guard Julie Vanloo was released by the Valkyries shortly after returning to the team from FIBA EuroBasket. Though she expressed her disappointment, the 32-year-old point guard quickly landed on her feet after being signed by the Los Angeles Sparks. Vanloo was reunited in L.A. with fellow Belgian National Team star Julie Allemand, and has played five games with the franchise heading into All-Star weekend.
Though Golden State and the Los Angeles Sparks have developed a competitive in-state rivalry, with four games played in the first month of the preseason and regular season, Martin showed love to her new competitor and former teammate.
On Wednesday, Vanloo reflected on her 2025 season with a post captioned, “Everything happens for a reason, right?”
She received an outpouring of support from WNBA players, including Martin.
"You're the bestest," she commented
Vanloo’s post also included a picture from a Golden State fan with a sign reading: “Vanloo From The Bay To LA We Got You”
Vanloo will get her homecoming to the Bay Area on Aug. 9, as the Valkyries host LA at Chase Center for their final meeting of the regular season.
Anwar Stetson is a Multimedia Sports Journalist from Los Angeles, California. He previously worked as a TV News Reporter for KRCR News Channel 7 in Chico, California--covering politics, local news, wildfires, crime, and high school football. As an Assistant Editor for Spectrum Sportsnet: Los Angeles, Anwar worked on award-winning programs Backstage:Lakers and Backstage:Dodgers, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the two franchises' most prominent athletes. Anwar is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where he received his Master's Degree in Specialized Journalism (Sports Emphasis) in 2019. He graduated from the University of California, Merced with a B.A. in English in 2016. In addition to Sports Illustrated, Anwar covers high school sports for Prep Network, and the WNBA for The Sporting Tribune.