Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark and guard Kate Martin (20) take questions before the Final Four round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, Thursday, April 4, 2024 in Cleveland. Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK

Caitlin Clark Sends Kate Martin Shot Swat Greeting Before Fever-Valkyries Game

Originally posted on Women's Fastbreak on SI
By Grant Young | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 8:31 PM ET

One of the most endearing friendships in all of women's basketball is between Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark and Golden State Valkyries standout Kate Martin. This friendship started way back when Clark was a freshman and Martin a sophomore with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

And in a June 6 appearance on Sue Bird's Bird's Eye View podcast, Martin conveyed her skeptical first impression of No. 22.

“[Clark] had come on a couple visits, and she was like a big name in Iowa. So I had heard about her," Martin said. "And so, I had heard about this Caitlin Clark, and I was watching videos of her just like having like 40 points, averaging a million in high school. And I was like, 'Oh, this girl thinks she’s gonna come here and rule the world.'

"And then she did. Came in right away and ruled the world," Martin added with a laugh. "And I was like 'Alright, here we go!'"

Kate on her first impressions of Caitlin

“I was like oh this girl thinks she’s gonna come here and rule the world…and there she did came right in and ruled the world…I just remember we had that summer before and she was doing things that I had never seen before.” pic.twitter.com/l6ELDnqlCK
— correlation (@nosyone4) June 6, 2025

Fast forward about five years, and these two are still extremely close while each embarks on their respective WNBA career.

Clark's Fever are facing Martin's Valkyries on Thursday night. And Clark's welcome for Martin seems indicative of their relationship.

Chloe Peterson of IndyStar posted a video of Clark playfully trying to swat the ball out of Martin's hands while she took a warm-up three-pointer before the game began. The post was captioned, "A quick greeting for former teammates Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin, playing each other for the first time this season:"

A quick greeting for former teammates Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin, playing each other for the first time this season: pic.twitter.com/mSIlX7Mwbc
— Chloe Peterson (@chloepeterson67) June 20, 2025