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Kate Martin's First Post After Season-Ending Loss Says a Lot

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 6:25 AM ET

The dream is over for Kate Martin and the Golden State Valkyries. After being the first expansion team ever to make the WNBA playoffs in their inaugural season, the fairy tale ended for the Valkyries on Wednesday after they suffered a heartbreaking 75-74 loss to the No. 1 seed Minnesota Lynx.

The Valkyries also lost Game 1 on Monday, and their Game 2 loss on Wednesday marked the end of the road for Golden State’s memorable run.

Martin played just six minutes off the bench in Game 2, logging five points, one rebound and one three-pointer. After the loss, the 6-foot guard took to social media to send a heartfelt message.

“So proud of this team & thankful for all my teammates, coaches & fans we had a blast this year,” she posted on Instagram.

Kate Martin reacts to the Valkyries' season-ending loss to the Lynx

(via @katemartin on IG) pic.twitter.com/WdH4TqAbc9
— Paolo Songco (@PaoloSongcoNBA) September 18, 2025

Martin's words land loudly. The season may have ended in heartbreak for Golden State, but there's no denying that it was a season for the books.

The Valkyries battled hard on Wednesday, but Napheesa Collier and the Lynx just proved too much for them. Minnesota became just the second team in WNBA playoff history to secure a comeback win after entering the fourth quarter with a deficit of at least 14 points.

As for Martin, the former Iowa star is still locked up with the Valkyries through 2027. She is still under her rookie contract , which she signed with the Las Vegas Aces last season. The deal carried over after Golden State selected her as the sixth overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft.

Martin had a more memorable second season in the league. In 42 appearances for the Valkyries this year, the 25-year-old produced averages of 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.4 triples in 16.4 minutes per contest.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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