WNBA Fans React to Valkyries' Kate Martin Post on Monday
Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin has made waves in her first season with the team.
In 16 games (one start), Martin has averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds off the bench, making herself a key role player in a dynamic Golden State offense.
Martin also brings a certain element of star power to the team. She rose to fame in her college career at the University of Iowa, playing alongside superstar Caitlin Clark before the two were drafted in 2024.
Martin's status as a fan-favorite grew even more after her rookie season with the Las Vegas Aces and she now boasts a following of over 469,000 Instagram followers, over 200,000 more followers than the Valkyries team account, leading her to brand deals with companies like Drip Drop beverages and Olly Wellness that she promotes online.
The Valkyries have also taken notice of Martin's following and have been quick to feature her across their social media pages.
That includes a post shared on the Valkyries Instagram page Monday afternoon, where the team featured several shots of Martin in quick succession getting hyped up during a practice session with the team in Atlanta.
The post instructed fans to "hold the dots and scroll to get hype with Kate Martin," and fans in the comments did exactly that.
"I'm in love with everyone on this team," one fan wrote.
"Kate is funny I love her energy she brought from Iowa when she was a captain!!! 🔥 😍," another fan commented.
"Her energy is infectious! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🫶🏼🙌🏼," a fan commented.
"KATE THE GREAT ⚔️⚔️⚔️," a fan wrote.
"Love Golden KATE 💜💜💜🗣️🗣️🗣️," another fan commented.
The Valkyries look ahead to a game against the Atlanta Dream Monday, July 7 at 4:30 pm PDT, with Martin and her social media stardom sure to join them.
Bio: Jack Haslett is a writer and photographer covering Golden State Valkyries basketball for Sports Illustrated. Jack has previously published work with the Sporting Tribune, the Long Beach Current and DIG Magazine, covering sports, community events and news. A graduate from Long Beach State University, Jack has a passion for writing, photography and all things sports.