Valkyries Coach Sends Clear Kate Martin Message After Three Straight Losses

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jun 2, 2025 9:56 AM ET

Kate Martin has not had the best of starts for her Golden State Valkyries career. The 6-foot guard has struggled to make a significant contribution off the bench for the Valkyries in the team's first five games of the new season.

That all changed on Sunday, though, as Martin had arguably her best game not only of the season but of her entire WNBA career.

This came in the form of a career-high 14-point eruption against the Minnesota Lynx. 11 of Martin's points came during a blistering five-minute surge in the second quarter as the former Iowa star caught fire for the Valkyries.

Martin finished the game with 14 points, four rebounds and two triples in just 19 minutes of action.

Unfortunately for Golden State, they still didn't have enough to overcome a red-hot Lynx side. Minnesota weathered the storm, and they turned it on in the second half to secure an 86-75 victory. Sunday's win saw the Lynx improve to 7-0 on the season.

After the game, Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase was asked to share her thoughts on Martin's performance in the loss. The rookie coach made her opinion of Martin crystal clear, describing the 24-year-old as "a great spark off the bench."

"That is the Kate that we know and we love just again because she is adamant with her work ethic," Nakase said. "She's super consistent. She practices like it's the last possession, every possession.

"So credit to Kate. And obviously, her teammates kind of like finding her in the right time. So no, very, very happy. 14 points. That's huge."

“That is the Kate we know, and we love. She is adamant with her work ethic. She's super consistent. She practices like it's like the last possession, every possession.”

Natalie Nakase on Kate Martin’s BIG night pic.twitter.com/oaG8Duj8zb
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) June 2, 2025

Nakase had nothing but high praise for Martin after her eye-opening performance. However, whether or not this will lead to a bigger role for the second-year guard moving forward remains to be seen.

Sunday's defeat was Golden State's third straight loss, and they are now 2-4 to start the campaign. This team could sure use a spark right about now, and it would not be a complete shock if Nakase turns to Martin after her big night.

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

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