Undeniably, the Las Vegas Aces are peaking at the perfect time. A’ja Wilson and company have accumulated eight wins out of their last ten games. Just one more to end the regular season, and the Aces would not want to hinder their 4-game winning streak, while also considering the narrow chance of elevating a seed higher. Vying for it all, the Aces may just play the Kate Martin card on the court.

According to a recent update from the two-time defending champions, four of their five starters will be resting in the upcoming game versus the Dallas Wings. With the team’s leaders—A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, and Kelsey Plum—out, it strongly suggests that they will now test their 18th overall draft pick.

For Martin and fans, this is almost unbelievable, especially as the Aces benched her even in the most anticipated game versus the Fever. Neither on September 11 nor September 13 did the Aces let Martin enter the court, not even for a minute. This was particularly frustrating for fans who were eagerly waiting to see the two former Iowa teammates face off against each other.

What else would you expect? The Las Vegas Aces became the target of fans’ boiling frustration on social media. But now, after sitting out a couple of games and playing just 1 minute in the game after, it seems fans might finally get to see what they’ve been waiting for and they are ready with speculations.

Thursday’s game is a delight from Aces for Martin’s fandom

Ever since returning from the Olympic break, Kate Martin has averaged merely 4.2 minutes. It wasn’t great before either, though double-digit minutes were a bit more frequent. Regardless, it has certainly impacted the Iowa star’s scoring, limiting her to 2.4. So given all the big names will be off the court, fans speculate a dominant Martin with more opportunities for herself. “Kate Martin is about to drop 20,” expressed one.

Before entering the WNBA, Martin averaged 13.1 points and hit 20+ points in three games. The rookie, though, hasn’t had many instances to showcase a thrilling performance in the league yet. More so, with 4 Olympic stars of the year on the team. Her best came in the game against the Sparks with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. She played a total 32 minutes then. So the opportunity now has the fans excited.

“Legendary Kate Martin performance coming tomorrow night”

In the 33 games she has played so far, the rookie guard has started one game. With 4 of the team’s top 5 scorers out, the 24-year-old might just find her next start and possibly a game to remember.

“KATE MARTIN IS STARTING”

“Kate Martin is gonna get her first-ever start lol”

However, she’s not the only contender for playing time. Queen Egbo, who is on a contract with the Aces for a week, is also assumed to be on the court. They may win the game or not, standing 2-1 against the Wings, getting to see the young talent on court for good minutes is just enough. But there’s no official announcement —it’s all speculation.

“That means Becky gotta play Queen Egbo and Kate Martin tomorrow!!! A win is a win,” wrote another spectator.

The team takes on the Dallas Wings at home for the fourth and final time this regular season on the 18th night. The team lost 90-93 despite A’ja’s 42-point performance while Martin did not step on the court in their last clash. Remains to see if the rookie finally gets her shining moments.