Kate Martin is a WNBA fan favourite for extra causes than one — together with her ever-evolving style sense.
“I might positively say like earlier than coming into the league, I positively thought you needed to costume up each single time and that prefer it was numerous strain, and that careworn me out greater than the precise basketball video games,” Martin, 25, completely instructed Us Weekly earlier this month.
“However I spotted, like, actually you may make of it like what you need. And positively the [Las Vegas] Aces gamers have actually good type,” she continued. “And so, I, , I noticed numerous gamers final yr costume up and had actually cool outfits.”
Martin has greater than made a reputation for herself since being chosen because the No. 18 general decide within the 2024 WNBA Draft. The younger hooper — one in all Caitlin Clark's finest associates — joined the Las Vegas Aces final yr and instantly started to impress followers each on and off the courtroom.
In December 2024, Martin was picked up by the Golden State Valkyries as a part of the WNBA Growth Draft. (The most recent staff within the league stuffed out its inaugural roster by drafting unprotected gamers from the remainder of the WNBA, along with signing a number of athletes from abroad groups.)
Whereas there are some gamers who actually lean into the expertise of dressing up earlier than video games — together with her former Aces teammate A'ja Wilson and present Valkyries teammate Tiffany Hayes — Martin was thrilled to find that not everybody places a ton of emphasis on their recreation day matches.
In San Francisco, for instance, a few of Martin's teammates “type of simply do no matter” they need by way of pregame tunnel outfits. “I feel that's what's cool,” Martin instructed Us.
Kate Martin Thien-An Truong/Getty Photos
Although the Aces might need rocked spectacular matches throughout her time on the staff, Martin pointed to Hayes as somebody who has impressed her personal sense of creativity and enjoyable in terms of clothes. Hayes soft-launched her clothes line, Seyah Renara, in 2024.
Her teammate has “styled me a few occasions” with items from the road, Martin shared, including that she thinks “it's actually cool that she has pursued this aspect of style.
“Like, she's not only a basketball participant, however , an entrepreneur, and it has actually cool type,” she continued. “I additionally assume [Washington Mystics player] Alysha Clark's outfits, particularly this yr, have been phenomenal.”
Martin's personal evolving sense of favor will proceed to make an influence earlier than WNBA video games — and now followers can get in on the enjoyable by replicating her outfits for themselves. Martin, Hayes and teammate Monique Billings have partnered with the net purchasing platform Rakuten to make it doable for followers to purchase gadgets from their very own tunnel matches, bringing the WNBA much more into their houses and lives.
That type of group constructing is necessary to Martin, who described the Valkyries' followers as “unbelievable.” The staff — which has bought out each single dwelling recreation on the Chase Middle (or Ballhalla, as they've affectionately dubbed their dwelling courtroom) this season — is hyper-aware of how particular the 18,000+ individuals who present up actually are.
“I imply, it's been phenomenal to see what our fan base was firstly of the season and what it's now,” Martin mentioned. “And so they've simply been nothing however loyal and supportive to us. You already know, they're there from tip-off to the ultimate buzzer at each single recreation, win, lose or no matter. And we actually admire it.”
She continued, “And the ambiance in Ballhalla is truthfully like second to none. It's been actually enjoyable to have the ability to play in entrance of such a loud crowd or such a supportive crowd. And I don't assume it's like that in every single place else within the W. And so we really feel actually grateful that we get to play in entrance of a bought out crowd every evening.”
