Top 3 WNBA Draft Prospects from Iowa ft. Caitlin Clark & more
Iowa had an impressive two-year run that handed them two runner-up finishes in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. The Hawkeyes' run is credited to Caitlin Clark and her two reliable teammates Kate Martin and Gabbie Marshall.
The trio are WNBA Draft-eligible players who can provide immediate help to teams that need their services. Here are three of Iowa's top prospects in the WNBA Draft.
Top 3 Iowa WNBA Draft Prospects
#3 Gabbie Marshall
Gabbie Marshall enjoyed a spectacular five seasons with Iowa as she was a key contributor in the guard position. The 5-foot-9 guard provided glimpses of brilliance in helping Caitlin Clark spread the floor en route to two championship games in 2023 and 2024.
She was also a lockdown defender who could swipe the ball away from unsuspecting players. In her final season with the Hawkeyes, Marshall averaged 30.0 minutes and tallied 6.1 points, 1.6 assists, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
Her overall 3-point accuracy of 36.1% in college is impressive by WNBA standard, a skillset teams are expected to consider favorably in the Draft.
Also Read: Who is Gabbie Marshall’s BF Spencer Touro? All we know about Iowa star’s personal life
#2 Kate Martin
Martin has rapidly improved in her fifth and final year with Iowa. From averaging 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game in 2022-23, the 6'0" guard from Edwardsville, Illinois, sizzled for 13.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg and 2.3 apg on 50.7% shooting in the recently-concluded season. She was the third-leading scorer for Iowa behind Hannah Stuelke and Clark and was one of the leaders in their second championship run.
Martin's 21-point, six-rebound production against LSU in the Elite Eight is good enough for WNBA squads to turn heads and pencil her as an early to middle second-round pick. She is an effective second or third option in offense and could provide leadership when needed.
#1 Caitlin Clark
Once Clark declared her intention to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft, basketball fans worldwide immediately zoomed in on the shooting phenom. The sure-fire No. 1 pick in this year's draft, the six-foot guard could give Indiana fans a reason to be glued on their TV sets or watch live to see a generational player bring her talent to the WNBA.
Clark could effectively become Indiana's second-coming of Reggie Miller with her shooting and scoring prowess or a Stephen Curry play-alike, as most basketball experts describe the two-time John Wooden Awardee and Naismith College Player of the Year.
In the recently concluded season, Clark averaged 31.6 points, 8.9 assists, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals. This scoring wizardry helped the her break NCAA Division I scoring standards, whether it was women's basketball record or the Pete Maravich mark encompassing all genders.
Fans expect Clark to bring her offensive prowess to the WNBA and help the league improve its TV ratings and worldwide following in the future.
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