“Falling on the ground all the time”: When Kate Martin hilariously mocked ex-Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark
During the Iowa Hawkeyes' dream run with Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall and others were asked about Clark's specific nuances. An ESPN snippet from April 2, 2023, asked the Iowa star's teammates, revealing her signature phrases, her tendency to attempt threes and much more.
However, amongst all the behind-the-scenes information, Martin stood out with her mimicry of Clark. She replicated her teammate's ear-cup and Jordan-esque shrug celebration. Nevertheless, Martin also mocked Clark's tendency to fall.
"We've got her falling on the ground all the time," Martin said while taking to the floor.
One of the biggest elements in Hawkeyes' success in the last two years was Caitlin Clark's impact. As she mounted significant college runs in her initial years, her consistency had the basketball world calling her the "Female Steph Curry."
She averaged more than 18 attempts per game throughout her college career, making more than 45% of those shots. Her ability to connect on high-arcing three-pointers steadily drew more eyes to women's basketball, resulting in the 2024 NCAA final's viewership surpassing the men's finale for the first time in history.
Kate Martin and Caitlin Clark are best friends
Through their college partnership, Kate Martin and Clark have cultivated a best friend-type bond. A signifying story of the same came when Martin did not earn an invite from the WNBA for the draft night.
She wanted to continue playing professional basketball but the lack of an invite suggested that teams were not interested in her. Forced to end her WNBA dream, Martin made summer plans with her family and friends as she figured out the possibilities of playing overseas on the side.
As Caitlin Clark was widely projected by experts to be the first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Martin purchased her tickets and traveled to New York purely to support Clark.
However, in a huge twist, Martin ended up being selected by the Las Vegas Aces as the 18th pick. Initially seated alongside spectators, Martin was asked to shift to the players' lounge during the draft. She is now averaging 12.2 minutes per game alongside 2.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists.
Their teams have met twice this season, both resulting in an Aces win. Martin is averaging 6.0 and 4.0 rebounds against the Indiana Fever, while Clark is averaging 10.5 points, nine assists and 5.5 rebounds against Martin's unit. They will faceoff again in a back-to-back next month.