A lot of changes with WNBA expansion draft and A’ja Wilson does not seem to be taking them well. The reactions from the 2x WNBA champ, however, seem reasonable considering they are losing a promising talent with the shift. The Golden State Valkyries selected 11 players in their WNBA Expansion Draft on Friday night, Las Vegas Aces’ 2024 rookie, Kate Martin being one of them and Wilson isn’t happy with the news.

Martin, in an unexpected move, was drafted by the Aces in the second round this year and it seems she earned A’ja Wilson’s admiration during her rookie season. This is the only logical conclusion one can derive from A’ja’s outburst on Threads over Valkyries picking Martin. “F%^# !” read her first post, with the most recent one reading, “Yall wanted this expansion sooooooooooo bad NOW LOOK ….MY BABY ROOK GONE……” 

Amid this outburst, she even humorously targeted a former assistant coach from the Aces. “Im blocking Nat after that there lol,” she wrote, later adding, “Jk I love them and happy for them.” The ex-assistant coach in discussion, Natalie Nakase has now joined Valkyries as the head coach.

 

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The Valkyries’ roster following the expansion includes Temi Fagbenle, Steph Talbot, Cecilia Zandalasini, Kayla Thornton, Monique Billings, and Julie Vanloo, alongside Kate Martin. Interestingly, Seattle was the only team not to lose a player during this draft.

Coach Nakase, meanwhile, is excited about the journey ahead. “It’s a long process but it’s also a great process for us,” she shared. “We picked the best players that fit our culture. So we’re excited and can’t wait to get going.” This is WNBA’s first expansion draft in 16 years since the Atlanta Dream joined the league in 2008. And while A’ja Wilson is visibly upset with the Martin news, the 24-year-old does not exactly seem to be reciprocating the feeling.

Kate Martin’s response on getting drafted by Valkyries

Martin couldn’t hide her excitement after being drafted by the WNBA expansion team, the Valkyries. Joining ESPN after the draft, she reflected on what this new chapter means for her career. “I’m really excited,” she shared via espnW.

“This league is all about opportunity, you just need one shot… I’m very thankful for the Aces and everything I got to learn there, but I’m really excited for this new beginning and to build something from the ground up here with the Valkyries,” Martin further said. If you’ve followed her journey, you know her time with the Aces was more about learning than starring.

She averaged just 2.6 points in 11.5 minutes per game. Often watching from the bench as Las Vegas made a deep playoff run in 2024. It’s clear she’s eager to translate those lessons into a bigger role with the Valkyries. And what about those inevitable matchups against her former team?

Circle June 7 on your calendar—that’s when Martin and the Valkyries take on the Aces in Golden State. After all the outburst from A’ja Wilson, it’ll surely be exciting to watch her take on Valkyries and Martin.