Kate Martin, Kayla Thornton highlight inaugural Golden State Valkyries roster
Dec 6, 2024, 4:20 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm
Kate Martin (L) #20 of the Las Vegas Aces talks with first assistant coach Natalie Nakase of the Aces before Game Three of the 2024 WNBA Playoffs semifinals against the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 04, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
On Friday afternoon, new Golden State Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and head coach Natalie Nakase got the chance to select their inaugural roster via the WNBA expansion draft. Before the official announcement, The Athletic reported that they were selecting Kate Martin and Kayla Thornton. That proved true a little over an hour later.
Martin, who is most well known for her back-to-back national championship appearances alongside Caitlin Clark at Iowa, is coming off her rookie season and is already familiar with her new head coach. Nakase was the lead assistant on the Las Vegas Aces last season when Kate Martin played her rookie season.
Due to injuries across the roster, she played an inconsistent role, averaging 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds on 30.7 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three with the Aces. Again, it was her rookie season, and Martin will have the opportunity to play a more significant role with the Valkyries.
The sixth result from the @WNBA Expansion Draft is in. From the Las Vegas Aces, we’ve selected Kate Martin.
Expansion Draft presented by @CarMax. pic.twitter.com/yQX3yBjzQv
— Golden State Valkyries (@wnbagoldenstate) December 6, 2024
Alongside Kate Martin, Golden State will add veteran Kayla Thornton from the reigning champions, the New York Liberty. For her, the general manager will be the familiar face in the room, with Nyanin previously being the assistant GM for the Liberty while Thornton was there.
Thornton, who first joined the WNBA in 2015, was crucial to New York’s championship run last season. Throughout 40 regular season games, she averaged 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds on 37.9 percent from the field and 35.7 percent from three.
Here’s what the first 12-man roster for the Golden State Valkyries will look like, in order of announced result:
- Iliana Rupert (6’4) — from the Atlanta Dream
- Maria Conde (6’1) — Chicago Sky
- Veronica Burton (5’9) — Connecticut Sun
- Carla Leite (5’9) — Dallas Wings
- Temi Fagbenle (6’4) — Indiana Fever
- Kate Martin (6’0) — Las Vegas Aces
- Stephanie Talbot (6’2) — Los Angeles Sparks
- Cecilia Zandalasini (6’2) — Minnesota Lynx
- Kayla Thornton (6’1) — New York Liberty
- Monique Billings (6’4) — Phoenix Mercury
- Julie Vanloo (5’8) — Washington Mystics
They will play their first season in 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco. Kate Martin, Kayle Thornton, and the rest of the squad will look to bring a successful WNBA organization back to Northern California.
