Golden State Valkyries Waive Guard Amid Kate Martin Injury Update

With those needs now met, the decision to release her was a practical one, and very much expected. What the Valkyries didn’t expect, though, was Kate Martin‘s injury. Martin is a cornerstone of the Golden State setup. She’s a versatile, high-IQ guard and vocal leader that has a presence in the locker room aand on the court. Losing her, even temporarily, is a blow to this Valkyries team.

With a three-to-six week timeline now attached to her recovery, Kate Martin will almost certainly miss the opening games of the regular season. The Valkyries announced on April 28 that there will be another formal re-evaluation on May 5. That will reveal whether her recovery is trending toward the shorter end of that window. Hopefully the news on that date is encouraging. Because the Golden State team will definitely prefer to have her back as soon as possible.

Kate Martin Remains Engaged With Team Despite Injury, Says Natalie Nakase

Despite the injury, Kate Martin has remained a fully engaged and present force within the Golden State Valkyries setup. She may not be on the court, but she has wasted no time in carving out a different kind of role, one that speaks just as loudly to the kind of leader she is.

Las Vegas Aces guard Kate Martin (20) dribbles the ball against the LA Sparks in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

According to head coach Natalie Nakase, the message to Martin was clear, find another way to contribute. “I said, ‘Make sure you are going to be the energy monitor,'” Nakase revealed. And by her account, Martin took that charge and ran with it. “So today she was on top of it. She brings so much energy. So without Kate in it, she made sure she was on the sidelines, underneath in every huddle and constantly cheering her teammates on,” Nakase said.

It’s a transition that couldn’t have been easy. Martin was a consistent presence for the Valkyries last season, playing 42 games and averaging 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1 assist per game. Stepping back from that active role due to injury and watching from the sidelines is a different task entirely. But Nakase has been nothing but impressed by how Martin has handled it. “Kate knows, no matter if you have a little soreness or are banged up, you’re still here and present,” she said.

The Valkyries open their season against the Seattle Storm on May 8. And as things stand, Martin will not be available for that game, and possibly the one after. But for a team heading into the start of a new season, they can take genuine comfort in knowing that even without her on the floor, they won’t feel starved of her presence, support and energy.

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