Kate Martin Stats Tonight: How did Valkyries star perform against Sparks in preseason game? (May 6)

Kate Martin was one of the Golden State Valkyries' picks in the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft. Martin is one of the most popular players on the roster, so the Valkyries have marketed her the right way ahead of their inaugural campaign. Golden State opened its preseason against the LA Sparks at the Chase Center.

Martin was coming off a solid rookie campaign for the Las Vegas Aces, earning minutes off the bench and giving a lot of energy. She was popular among her teammates and Aces fans, but she went unprotected in the expansion draft, so the Valkyries took their chance.

For Tuesday's preseason game, coach Natalie Nakase didn't use Martin as a starter. So how did the Iowa product perform tonight against the Sparks? She finished with eight points, three rebounds and two steals in 18 minutes. She went 2-for-8 from the field, including 1-for-7 from 3-point range, and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line.

Here are Kate Martin's stats for the game:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
Kate Martin	8	3	0	2	0	1	0	18:13	2-8	1-7	3-3	-3

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How did Kate Martin perform against the Sparks?

Some fans were upset with the Golden State Valkyries when Kate Martin was not named a starter by coach Natalie Nakase. Martin was supposedly the face of the franchise, according to some of her supporters, so they were baffled by the coach's decision for her to come off the bench.

The guard struggled in the first half, missing all three of her shots and failing to score. She came back stronger in the second half, scoring eight points and making one 3-point shot. She was instrumental in the Valkyries' comeback effort in the third quarter, which made the game close in the final period. They just came up short, 83-82.

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Kate Martin knows the expectations of her and the Valkyries

One of the biggest differences this offseason for Kate Martin was that she had a full one since she wasn't trying to finish her degree. Martin was able to focus on her body, conditioning and overall improvement of her game. She's ready for the new challenge and understands the expectations of her under the Golden State Valkyries franchise.

"I keep telling myself, 'You’re meant for change,’" Martin told the San Francisco Chronicle. "‘You’re meant for new things. You’re meant for challenges.’ And it’s been really fun to be able to challenge myself to see how quick I can pick up on things or adjust. ... At the end of the day, basketball is basketball, and so it’s not like I’m playing a brand new game."

Martin and the Valkyries are back in action on Sunday against the Phoenix Mercury. They will then open their inaugural season on May 16 at the Chase Center versus the LA Sparks.