Three Ways Kate Martin Can Improve After Valkyries' Historic Season
Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin will be entering a pivotal third season in the WNBA, and second with the Golden State Valkyries when the team takes the court at the Chase Center next season (save for any offseason developments, of course).
If Martin wants to stick around in the WNBA for a lengthy career, there are a few crucial areas of her game that need improvement.
Increasing Efficiency
Martin increased her scoring average from 2.6 points per game during her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces to 6.2 points per game in her second season in the league with the Golden State Valkyries. However, Martin’s efficiency has suffered throughout her first two seasons as she is just a career 31.9 percent shooter who primarily resides beyond the arc.
Not only does Martin need to improve her 3-point shooting efficiency to become a consistently playable presence in the WNBA, but she also needs to sharpen her scoring skills inside the 3-point line. Even with the next wave of expansion increasing the amount of WNBA roster spaces, the relative scarcity of positions still remains and forces WNBA specialists to be more rounded.
Becoming More Versatile
As a plug-and-play role player off the bench, Martin needs to become more of a Swiss Army Knife in general. Becoming an improved defender and rebounder will only serve to improve her chances of remaining with Golden State and in the league long term. She could also benefit from becoming a more alert passer, especially with a shooter-friendly roster like the Valkyries.
While there are definite improvements Martin has to make to become a years-long WNBA veteran, she also has plenty of traits that will help keep her in the league even when her stats aren’t the most impressive. Martin has proven to be a valued locker room presence at each of her stops and she plays with intensity and hustle that coaches around the league will value.
It’s certainly valued by Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, who made a point of selecting Martin over other more accomplished players the Aces left unprotected in the expansion draft. Nakase was the Aces assistant coach during Martin’s rookie year and was a lead voice in Becky Hammon’s ear, telling her to draft Martin in the second round in 2024.
Becoming More Reliable in the Fourth Quarter
While Martin has had some fluctuations in playing time, as the season came to a close, she was getting more minutes in the fourth quarter. It was a decision that some Valkyries fans questioned at times, but other times, Martin looked incredibly reliable. Her ability to have a burst of scoring is something that the team can use more of next season.
With the Valkryies looking to improve on a historic inaugural season, it’s going to be important for the team that Martin follows a similar trajectory of improvement to her career at Iowa. She played a small role as a freshman but had risen to one of the nation’s most prominent players by her senior year.
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Will Despart is a Las Vegas-based sportswriter who covers the WNBA for OnSI. He also writes for Ballislife and handles multiple beats for The Sporting Tribune, including the Las Vegas Aces and Las Vegas Raiders. His reporting has been featured in newspapers across the country through the Field Level Media news wire.