Kate Martin has been one of the most talked-about players in the WNBA this season, but she finished Tuesday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces in visible pain.
Martin, a rookie from Iowa, took a hard tumble in the first quarter against the Chicago Sky, collapsing awkwardly after contact with defender Dana Evans. Concerned teammates quickly surrounded her, some of whom used towels to hide her from the cameras.
Martin was removed from the court and was later declared unable to play for the remainder of the game due to a low right leg injury. Thankfully, Martin appeared on the court before the start of the second half in a tracksuit and sweatpants and looked much better than before.
She still appeared to be limping a little, but was walking under her own power, and she received warm cheers from fans at the Michelob Ultra Arena.
Martin’s injury occurred after the Sky stunned the Aces and gave Chicago a 25-12 lead in the first quarter. Las Vegas closed the gap in the fourth quarter, but another Sky run ended the Aces’ four-game winning streak and gave Chicago a 93-85 victory.
Sky’s Chennedy Carter led all scorers with a season-high 34 points, while Aces star A’ja Wilson had another phenomenal performance with 28 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and three steals.
Martin entered Tuesday’s game averaging just 3.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 14.3 minutes for the defending champions, but her surprising resume and ability to fit into the Aces locker room have made her an instant fan favorite in Las Vegas. Most second-round draft picks don’t even make a team’s roster, but Martin has worked her way into the rotation on a quality team.
Hopefully, she won’t lose too much time in the future.
