Kate Martin makes Los Angeles Sparks debut
Just over a week after being cut by Golden State, Kate Martin returned to the court for the Sparks on Friday.
It was just over a week ago that former Iowa star Kate Martin was released by the Golden State Valkyries . In a move that shocked many, the Valkyries decided to part ways with the fan-favorite guard just before their season-opener. Martin had appeared in 42 games in Golden State in their debut season, doing great work off the bench and drumming up excitement around the team.
Despite that, the organization decided to go in another direction. Just a few days later, Martin signed a developmental contract with the Los Angeles Sparks . After not playing against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Wednesday, she made her Sparks debut on Friday night to a nice round of applause from the LA faithful.
Kate Martin gets a nice hand from Sparks fans after checking in for her LA debut. pic. twitter.
com/3pD2tklI5n ā Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) May 16, 2026 Martin played six minutes in the Sparks' 99-95 win over the Toronto Tempo . She went 0-2 from the field and grabbed a rebound over those six minutes. It was a relatively quiet debut on the court, but Martin should see better results as she adjusts to her new system and teammates.