Kate Martin has become a cult hero of sorts for WNBA fans.

Ever since being drafted by the Las Vegas Aces with the 18th overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, the former Iowa Hawkeyes standout has won the adoration of her teammates and fans.

But nobody has praised Martin more this season than Aces head coach, Becky Hammon.

Not to mention that the minutes Martin is receiving on a team that has won back to back WNBA championships is another clear vote of confidence.

And it sounds like one emotional conversation kickstarted her and Hammon’s relationship.

Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kate Martin reacts after her team’s loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the NCAA tournament national championship game on April 7 in Cleveland.

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

“I got to have a little meeting with Coach Hammon,” Martin said in a recent interview, discussing when the Aces made their final roster decisions. “She just kind of told me, like, ‘Hey, you made [the team].’

“And it was just immediate waterworks,” Martin said. “It felt like, you know, I had been really comfortable at Iowa for my last four years or so… and coming here, I was like trying out for a team again.”

While this must have been a stressful time for Martin, it has clearly worked out for both her and the Aces so far.