The Crypto.com Arena witnessed a battle for the ages. A neck-to-neck overtime contest that resulted in the LA Sparks getting the “monkey off their backs” and breaking their 8-game losing streak against the Las Vegas Aces. Nonetheless, the back-to-back WNBA champions had their moments to be proud of in front of 13,840 people in attendance. One of them was their rookie Kate Martin showcasing her Hawkeye precision.

Head coach Becky Hammon decided to get the rookie her first taste of the action very early in the second quarter. After she entered the court in place of Tiffany Hayes, her first contribution came in the form of an assist that resulted in Kiah Stokes making a driving layup. Soon after, her moment of brilliance arrived with just 5:07 remaining and both teams on level terms at 28 a piece. Seemingly, through an assist from Kelsey Plum, Kate Martin connected a fabulous 28-foot three-point shot that was enough to get the crowd on their feet.

The 24-year-old created a similar moment just after the halfway mark. The Aces now staring at a 15-point deficit got a much-needed motivation, courtesy of a 25-foot three-point jumper by the No.20 which at that stage was crucial. As it turned out, it helped the visitors close the gap to 10 points by the end of the quarter. Eventually, she capped off her night garnering 6 points by being 2 of 3 from the three-point range.

Consequently, her efforts piqued the interest of the fans as they couldn’t help but admire her special skills.

Fans acknowledge the talented Kate Martin

Martin burying a three-pointer draws some immense comparisons of her with her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark. As it turns out, so far this season, she has been 16 of 41 from beyond the arc. Keeping this in mind, one X user expressed, “Kate out there looking like Caitlin Clark lol.” 

Kate Martin made an explosive start to his WNBA career. On top of that, the night had it all. From Dawn Staley’s presence to a sold-out crowd at the Michelob ULTRA Arena. However, the one other important development of the evening was the Aces’ No.10 Kelsey Plum nicknaming the rookie, “Kate Money Martin”. Therefore, to this day, these three words are resonating in the minds of the Las Vegas fans. One of them provided proof of that by commenting, “KATE MONEY MARTIN!!”

Kate Martin made a reputation for herself at Iowa for being a very dependable roster. In the words of her former teammate Caitlin Clark, “She’s going to have your back every single day.” And perhaps she has carried forward this tradition in the Las Vegas Aces as well. Due to this one of the X users cites it by seeing her perform tonight. The comment reads, “She’s called The Glue for a reason”. 

The Las Vegas Aces won their previous contest against the Washington Mystics by a respectable margin. However, Martin in her 15 minutes on the hardwood went scoreless for the night. Subsequently, one fan was relieved that she was able to put some numbers in front of her name on Friday. The fan wrote, “nice work Kate ..way to come back after not scoring last night..” 

Meanwhile, some even think that Kate Martin is a perfect fit for the Las Vegas puzzle. The 24-year-old has been a part of 17 games so far and has made some crucial contributions coming off the bench. One satisfied fan was glad to witness that and expressed his delight in her draft to the Aces. The fan expressed, “So glad she got drafted by the Aces, she fits perfectly.” 

Despite the loss, the Aces still hold firm contentions for the playoffs. As a result, its supporters will be eager for what Kate Martin brings to the table for the franchise at that stage. It will be worth a watch to experience what transpires next for the rookie.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.