After being waived by the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, former Iowa women’s basketball star Kate Martin has joined the third franchise of her career after signing a player development contract with the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday, May 10.
The deal is unlike a standard player contract, as the newly codified collective bargaining agreement now allows teams to carry two developmental roster spots, creating in-house training pipelines outside the salary cap. These players can practice, receive stipends/benefits, and can be activated for up to 12 games, aiding player development and team depth.
Drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round (No. 18 overall) of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Martin has started in six of her 76 games played (six starts) over two seasons. Across those 76 games, the former Hawkeye has averaged 4.6 points on 31.9% shooting, 32.1% from 3-point range, and 81.1% from free-throw range, to go along with 2.2 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 14:12 minutes per contest.
“Kate is a gifted shooter, whose grittiness and winning history mesh well with Sparks basketball,” Sparks General Manager Raegan Pebley said on Martin. “She’s confident in her shot, plays tenacious defense, and is an unselfish, high-energy teammate. We’re eager to watch Kate develop within our system.”
Martin, who spent five years at Iowa, thanks to the extra year of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, finished her tenure averaging 8.0 points per game on 46.4% from the floor, including 35.5% from 3-point territory, and 82.4% from the charity stripe through 139 starts in 163 games. Martin also averaged 4.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks per contest throughout her career in Iowa City.
As for Martin’s departure from Golden State, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase explained that the decision was difficult but ultimately necessary to maximize the team’s potential as they start the season.
“It was very emotional, a lot of heartache. Kate was our family member and someone we cared about deeply. And we still do care deeply about Kate,” Nakase said on May 8. “It’s very hard because we are trying to construct the best team.”
Martin is currently recovering from a Grade II quad strain suffered in the Valkyries’ lone preseason game on April 28, but should be able to provide valuable depth to the Sparks once fully healed and throughout the 2026 season.
The Sparks host the defending WNBA champions, Aces (0-1), in their regular-season opener tonight from Crypto.com Arena at 5 p.m. CT in Los Angeles, Calif., with the game being broadcast on the USA Network.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Kate Martin inks deal with new WNBA team
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Hawkeyes Wire / Hawkeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
