“I Love That Kid”: Kelsey Plum in Awe, Dawn Staley Impressed, and Fans Ecstatic, Kate Martin’s Explosive Debut Had It All

The back-to-back WNBA champions kept their winning momentum going on Saturday. In an engaging battle, the Las Vegas Aces edged past a fighting LA Sparks 89-82 at Michelob ULTRA Arena. While the usual suspects grabbed all the headlines, the game also marked the debut of the 18th overall WNBA draft pick Kate Martin. The two-time NCAA finalist clearly made a mark that not only has the fans but some eminent names of the sport buzzing about her.

With just 3:12 remaining in the first quarter, head coach Becky Hammon decided to introduce the latest weapon in her arsenal. Following this, it took just 6 seconds for her to take possession of Layshia Clarendon. This was followed by an assist to Megan Gustafson which resulted in a layup in the opening seconds of the next quarter. Anyhow, the moment that got even Dawn Staley off her seat came in the penultimate quarter.

As both the teams tried to gain the upper hand in the last 7:49 minutes, Spark’s 6’7” center Li Yueru attempted a layup. At this time, the 6 ft guard had a response for her in the form of a monstrous block. This was enough to impress the 3× NCAA Division I Tournament champion coach as she expressed her admiration soon after the game on X, writing, “Kate Martin is a G!”

Staley wasn’t the only prominent basketball personality in awe of Martin’s exhibition. After the game’s conclusion, the Aces’ No.10 Kelsey Plum interacted with ESPN’s Angel Gray. On being asked about Martin’s performance, she said, “Kate Money Martin. I love that kid!” Consequently, this got her some positive reactions from the fans as well.

Fans hail Kate Martin in Aces colors

Kate Martin’s supporters wasted no time in flooding social media to acknowledge her superb performance. Complimenting her defensive abilities, one fan pointed out that she was impactful throughout the night. She had the most minutes off the bench with 26 and had a +/- of +8. The comment read, “Her defense really impressed me. She made a couple rookie mistakes at the end but overall a great and impactful game.”

One fan applauded her “fearless” attitude when he witnessed how she was taking everyone on. Especially the way she blocked the 7 inches-taller Li Yueru from scoring at a crucial stage of the game. It helped them maintain a 13-point lead over the Sparks.

Some people thought that Martin’s debut was the best this season. In addition to this, they also commended her all-around talent. She did a little bit of everything on the night with 3 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, and 2 fouls. One of them wrote, “Such an all rounder! Love it for her and the best rooks debut I have seen so far!”

Meanwhile, one fan couldn’t wait to get his hands on her jersey. While her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark’s jerseys sold out within hours of release, Martin’s No.20 jersey will be in demand after this stunning debut. He posted, “That’s it. I’m getting Kate’s jersey.”

Also, one of the Aces supporters compared her defensive skills to that of NBA defensive stalwarts like Gary Payton Jr. and Patrick Beverley and how she’s a great choice for the defending champs. The fan said, “Kate got that pat bev, Gary payton jr type defense. She seems the type to find a way to impact the game no matter what. Great pickup.”

A great outing for Kate Martin and the rest. With this win, they are now top of the table in their 2023-24 Western Conference Standings. A great start in their quest to go for the three-peat this season.