SAN FRANCISCO — Kate Martin has a unique ability to get the crowd at Chase Center to erupt with just one made shot.
On Sunday, with the Valkyries looking shaky as a lead that had been 20 points shrank to just five early in the fourth quarter, the second-year guard rose from the left wing and buried a 3-pointer from 24 feet away while absorbing contact from Fever guard Aerial Powers in her landing space.
The roar was instant. A wall of noise reverberated from the nosebleeds down to the courtside seats. Fans stood up in unison, high-fiving each other and stomping on the ground as if the shot slammed the door shut on the Fever.
And even though there were still seven minutes left, the reaction from Martin’s former Iowa teammate, Caitlin Clark, said it all.
The injured Fever star, who was once standing and encouraging her teammates to make a stop, suddenly threw her hands in the air and sat back down in her seat as if to say, “What else can we do?”
The Fever were finished.
Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits for the start of their game against the Golden State Valkyries in the first quarter at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Martin’s shot sparked a 20-13 Golden State run to finish the game as the Valkyries earned a comfortable 75-63 win at home in front of their 19th sellout crowd of the season.
With the victory, the Valkyries (21-18) moved into sixth place in the WNBA standings and reduced their magic number to clinch a playoff spot to three with five games remaining, starting with Tuesday’s home game against New York. Coming into Monday, Golden State was 2 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place Los Angeles (18-20) and just ahead of the Fever (21-19) and Seattle (22-19) in terms of winning percentage.
The top eight teams advance to the playoffs, which begin on Sept. 14.
While Martin stayed humble when talking about her impact on the win after the game, it’s clear she has a knack for flipping a game’s momentum with a single shot – the kind that can steady her team and ignite a whole arena.
“Kate is kind of notorious for momentum plays,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said. “Those are huge momentum plays and things where the crowd can get behind us. You can kind of say that it puts a little bit of pressure on the opponent when that happens.
“Credit to Kate for knocking that down, and she does it with a smile. She’s always ready to play, no matter what, no matter when, no matter where, no matter who she’s facing. She does a great job.”
While other Valkyries players get resounding cheers from the Ballhalla crowd when they make baskets, there’s nothing quite like a Martin 3-pointer.
As soon as the ball leaves her fingertips, anticipation sweeps through the arena. Make or miss, the crowd rides with her, invested in every shot as if it carries more weight than just three points.
Part of that response comes from Martin’s position as the team’s most popular player. Martin’s been in the national spotlight along with Clark during Iowa’s run to two national championship games in 2023 and 2024.
Sunday’s game showed just how many fans the 25-year-old shooting guard has, as Chase Center was filled with Martin’s black and gold Iowa jerseys. Iowa alums George Kittle of the 49ers and ex-Hawkeyes star Gabbie Marshall were in attendance, cheering with the Bay Area crowd with every Martin basket.
“Iowa is always going to be home for me, and to see the support from George and Claire (Kittle) while getting to see some old friends, that’s always really fun,” Martin said.
Golden State Valkyries’ Kate Martin (20) hugs San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle after their 75-63 win over the Indiana Fever at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
Martin has put up solid numbers in the Valkyries’ last five games, averaging 9.8 points on 35.3% shooting from the 3-point line. With the injuries to many key veterans, Martin has found herself in a more prominent role.
Martin has been on the receiving end of what the Valkyries have called “family shots” – a term the Valkyries have used to describe the best possible look in a given possession.
Martin’s first season with the Valkyries has had its ebbs and flows. There were times she was benched, had shooting slumps, and struggled to find a role on the expansion team.
But Sunday was a reminder of why she’s earned the affection of the Valkyries’ faithful. Though her fanbase reaches far greater than the Bay Area, the fearless markswoman has carved out a role as the Valkyries’ momentum shifter. Someone who could quiet a comeback, energize her teammates, and turn a tense fourth quarter into a celebration.
“I feel really grateful, as we all do, to get to play in front of a crowd like that,” Martin said. “As a shooter, that makes you feel extra confident and want to keep shooting whenever you hear how excited they get. And so, I’m very appreciative.”
Originally Published: September 1, 2025 at 6:00 AM PDT