Iowa star Jada Gyamfi drops 1-word reaction to former teammate Kate Martin's smiling ear-to-ear before Sparks game

Jada Gyamfi and Kate Martin were teammates for two years with the Iowa Hawkeyes. However, their time as teammates ended after the 2024 season when Martin was drafted into the WNBA. She was selected by the Las Vegas Aces in the second round of the 2024 WNBA draft. However, she was on the move again this season as she was selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the expansion draft.

The WNBA season started on Friday and Martin made her debut for the Valkyries. In a show of support for her former teammate, Jada Gyamfi shared a post of Martin smiling before her debut with a one-word reaction.

"Sweetieeeee."

Image via Jada Gyamfi's Instagram story.

Kate Martin played 21 minutes in her debut for Golden State against the Los Angeles Sparks. She did not have a great showing, only registering two points and one assist as the Valkyries lost 84-67. It is not unexpected for an expansion team to play poorly in its first year. Typically, it takes a few years for an expansion team to build a roster that can compete with top teams, regardless of the league.

Kate Martin plays in Golden State's season opener despite suffering a hand injury in the preseason

After a disappointing rookie season, Kate Martin joined the Golden State Valkyries with hopes that she could have more success on the expansion team. She had a middling debut in the team's first preseason game, only registering eight points. To make matters worse, her minutes were limited because of a right hand injury. As a result, she was forced to sit out the team's second preseason game.

Before Golden State's season debut on Friday, there was speculation that Martin would not be available for the team. However, hours before the game, she was upgraded to available and was able to participate in the game. Martin expressed her excitement at a press conference before the game.

"Yeah, it's very exciting," Martin said. "When we walked in, they're very excited, happy game days all around. You can tell that people are really looking forward to it, and more than anything, front office, the coaches, all of us, we're very, very excited. It’s a historic day, and we’re gonna soak it all in."

It will be interesting to see how Martin and the Valkyries perform the rest of the season. She had a strong career at Iowa and most experts still believe she has potential.