Is Kate Martin the most beloved rookie by her team?

© Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY SportsOne of the best stories from the WNBA draft was Kate Martin being drafted by the Aces. Martin was attending the draft with some of her former Iowa teammates to support Caitlin Clark who was the undisputed number one pick when she ended up hearing her name called in the second round.

Martin quickly became a fan favorite at the Michelob Ultra Arena, receiving loud cheers at every home game. She is also having a good time with her Aces teammates, who made her do the pregame tunnel dance.

Coach Becky Hammon has praised Martin numerous times saying she has built up a lot of trust in the locker room and that she is just getting her feet wet. Martin is currently averaging 5.2 points per game, 4 rebounds and 1.8 assist per game but her impact on the court goes beyond the numbers.

“She is somebody who understands angles. Being in the right place at the right time and making the right read,” Hammon said when talking about Martin.

During the Aces road trip ahead of their game in Dallas the team pranked Martin when the bus left without out her. She did eventually get on the bus receiving cheers and a happy birthday from her teammates.

A’ja Wilson presented Martin with a birthday cake and a tiara prior to the game versus the Wings. That is the kind of teammate A’ja Wilson is, and it shows how much the Aces have welcomed and embraced Kate Martin.

Martin also had a great birthday knocking down the half court shot at shoot around along with Chelsea Gray. Following shoot around the Aces had a fun moment with Kate Martin lining up and giving her a birthday tap.

Martin’s ability on the court has earned her some praise from the media, pushing her up the rookie power rankings. She was ranked fourth in the rookie power rankings by USA Today. ESPN placed her third among rookies in terms of advanced stats, after only Cameron Brink and Angel Reese. It will be interesting to see where Martin finishes in the Rookie of The Year race at the end of the season and also if she is able to make the WNBA All-Rookie Team.