“I never would have thought I’d be in this position.” Kate Martin, on being the 18th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA drafts. Such was a surprising turn of events for her as the girl who was present in the drafts just to support her Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark, ended up in the locker room of the back-to-back champions the Las Vegas Aces. But, if not for basketball, what would have transpired in the life of this phenomenal rookie? Well, she dials it down herself.

The 24-year-old had very a candid chat with the Hawkeye forward Jada Gyamfi recently on her podcast. Opening up about how basketball impacted her life, she said, “I don’t know what I would have done if I wasn’t playing basketball. Just be a normal human being? No, thank you. I don’t want to sit behind a desk. Ever”. 

The second round in the WNBA drafts turned out to be a blessing for the former Iowa stalwart. Since then, she’s been trying to be a part of the winning culture that the Aces so proudly flaunt. Consequently, not only has she managed to be a valuable member of the franchise, but her contributions have played their part in the Aces’ quest for a three-peat.

Sparing a thought or two in this regard earlier, she had expressed, “I love being a part of that, but these girls are really amazing, and they really show what it’s like to be a team, and to be relentless and work together, and hopefully, I can be a part of that the whole season, and just continue to be a really good teammate, and focus on winning”. 

While she has now established a quality bond with her Aces teammates, Kate Martin is not shying away from connecting with her former ones.

Kate Martin in awe of Gabbie Marshall

The Iowa trifecta comprising of Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, and Gabbie Marshall had the former two make their way into the WNBA. As for Marshal, she had to choose a different path other than basketball. But, even after she chose to hang up her boots in the sport, the connection between them still persists.

This became evident when recently the 23-year-old Marshall shared some vacation pictures from her official Instagram account along with the caption, “My happy place.” Following this, the Aces rookie was among the first to be expressive about it. She wasted no time in posting “Gorgeous girl” in the comments section.

The way all these former Hawkeyes adore each other is really delightful to see. All of them, in their own way, still cherish the on-court journey they had as college basketball athletes. The Iowa fans will certainly hope nothing changes that in the upcoming days.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.