Kate Martin's Priceless Reaction to Valkyries WNBA Draft Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 11:50 PM ET

It was a fun night in New York City as the 2025 WNBA Draft took place. A total of 38 new players were selected and will take the court later this month as training camp begins.

There were several compelling stories from the draft, but one of the most interesting involves a player who was drafted in 2024. Kate Martin, out of the University of Iowa, was selected in the second round, 18th overall, last season.

She attended the WNBA Draft last year to support her teammates and friends, simply hoping to be drafted herself. Her emotional moment went viral.

This year, another player was drafted straight from the crowd, and Martin was one of the first to offer congratulations. Kate Martin on her official Instagram story, "Congrats @kaitlyn.chen Getting drafted from the crowd is a classic!!"

Kaitlyn Chen is now Martin’s teammate on the Golden State Valkyries. Chen attended Flintridge Prep in La Cañada Flintridge, California, before playing three seasons at Princeton.

She finished her collegiate career at UConn, solidifying her status as a dynamic and intelligent guard ready to make her mark in the WNBA.

In her senior season at UConn, Chen helped lead the Huskies to a national championship, starting all 40 games.

She showcased her efficiency by shooting 51.4% from the field, while averaging 6.9 points and 3.4 assists per game. Her most prolific scoring season came during her sophomore year at Princeton, where she averaged 16.2 points per game and emerged as one of the Ivy League’s top offensive threats.

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

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