“I Know My Role—And I’m Proud of It”: Kate Martin on Embracing the WNBA, Playing With Caitlin Clark, and Building Something From Scratch

When Kate Martin heard her name called on WNBA Draft night, she was sitting in the crowd—there to support her best friend and Iowa teammate, Caitlin Clark.

She wasn’t even sure she’d be picked.

But when the Utah Valkyries announced her as one of their final selections, everything shifted. From overlooked to irreplaceable, Martin’s journey has become a quiet, compelling story of resilience, role acceptance, and rising within the league’s newest franchise.

“It’s not about being the headline,” Martin says. “It’s about showing up, every day, and making everyone around you better.”

The Role Player Who Never Played Small

Martin’s college career at Iowa wasn’t about stats—it was about substance. The leadership, the hustle, the intangibles. She wasn’t the one dropping 40. But she was the one guarding the toughest wing, crashing the glass, calming the huddle.

“I learned early that leadership doesn’t mean volume. It means trust.”

She brought that same mindset to Utah—where she joined a roster stacked with international talent, gritty veterans, and a coaching staff focused more on culture than win totals.

The Valkyries: A New Team, A New Identity

The Utah Valkyries are the WNBA’s youngest franchise—but they’ve made it clear they don’t want to act like one.

Their mission? Build smart. Play fast. Compete together.

Martin says she didn’t expect to log major minutes early, but she quickly earned the trust of the coaching staff by doing what she’s always done—outworking expectations.

“I’m not here to be flashy. I’m here to be solid,” she says. “If my job is to defend the best guard, I’ll do it. If it’s to talk on every screen, I’m there. Whatever it takes.”

Reuniting With Caitlin Clark—Same Chemistry, New Pressure

Martin and Clark shared a court at Iowa for years. Their chemistry was telepathic. But the WNBA is different. The pressure, the speed, the physicality—it’s all amplified.

“People think they know Caitlin. But they don’t see what she carries,” Martin says. “Every game, every media cycle, she’s under a microscope. And she still finds a way to show up.”

Martin doesn’t pretend to speak for Clark. But as someone who’s seen the highs and lows up close, she knows how much noise Clark has to filter out.

“She’s handled it with grace. That doesn’t mean it’s easy.”

Learning From Veterans, Growing From the Grind

One of Martin’s biggest takeaways this season? The pace of the league—and the patience it demands.

“In college, you can recover from a mistake. In the W, they punish you immediately,” she says. “But it’s also where you learn fastest.”

She points to teammate Alicia Clark as a mentor.

“Her preparation is different. She watches film like it’s a language. She knows her opponent’s footwork before the game even starts.”

Martin has tried to adopt that same mentality: slow down off the court to move smarter on it.

Blocking Out the Noise

Social media is both a spotlight and a trap. Martin made the decision to remove most apps from her phone once training camp began.

“It’s not that I don’t appreciate the support. I just don’t want to be distracted by the highs or crushed by the lows.”

She’s leaned instead on a tight support circle: family, close teammates, and her coaching staff—who she says have built an environment where mistakes are part of the process, not something to hide from.

A Rookie Who Knows Her Why

Drafted late. Overshadowed by bigger names. Thrown into a team still building its identity. None of it bothers her.

“I know why I’m here,” she says. “I’m not trying to prove I belong—I’m trying to contribute. That’s different.”

Her stats don’t leap off the page. But her presence does. In film sessions. In locker room conversations. In the way she walks into practice early and leaves last.

“We talk a lot about culture. I think culture shows up in who’s sprinting in practice when the cameras aren’t rolling.”

The Bigger Picture: Building Something That Lasts

The Valkyries may not make a deep playoff run in Year One. But they’re laying bricks—through communication, accountability, and a shared belief in the process.

“Winning will come,” Martin says. “But right now, we’re focused on becoming a team no one wants to play against. That starts with trust.”

Final Thought: “You Don’t Have to Be Loud to Lead”

Kate Martin doesn’t dominate headlines.

She doesn’t need to.

Because when she speaks in the huddle, people listen. When she leads on the court, teammates follow.

“I’m proud of my role,” she says. “Whatever this team needs, I’m ready. That’s what being a pro means.”

She’s not chasing stardom.

She’s building something deeper.

And in a league finding its future, players like Kate Martin are exactly why it’s in good hands.