Former Iowa women’s basketball star Kate Martin committed to Las Vegas Aces just..
Former Iowa women’s basketball star Kate Martin’s fight for a roster spot on the reigning WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces will continue after she survived the team’s initial round of cuts on Thursday.
The Aces waived guard Morgan Jones and forward Brea Beal, a 2023 AP All-American Honorable Mention and notable contributor on South Carolina’s 2022 national championship team.
Former Hawkeye great Megan Gustafson also remains on the roster after signing a two-year contract on Feb. 1.
Martin’s signing with Excel Sports Management was also announced via the agency’s social media on Thursday. Her former teammate, Caitlin Clark, also signed with the agency in October 2023.
Martin was drafted in the second round, 18th overall, on April 15 but is not guaranteed to make the team. With just 12 teams and a maximum of 144 total roster spots in the association, the WNBA is arguably the most difficult professional sports league to land with a team.
Teams can have up to 18 players during training camp but must trim to just 12 by May 13, the day before the start of the season. The Aces currently have 14 players.
Of the 36 players drafted in 2023, only 15 played in a game last season and only eight made an opening-day roster. The odds of Martin making the top-12 on the back-to-back league champions was already a tall task, but her chances have been bolstered over the last few days.
Martin’s prospects initially increased when WNBA legend and future Basketball Hall of Famer Candace Parker announced her retirement on April 28, and with two more players out of the running, the former Hawkeye could secure a spot in the coming days.
