In the quiet rhythm of a professional season, a player who was let go by one team finds a new place among others, and the way her former home chose to say goodbye says as much about the people in the room as about the athlete herself. Kate Martin, a young guard whose path had brought her from the Las Vegas Aces to the Golden State Valkyries and now toward the Los Angeles Sparks, stands at a familiar crossroads of modern sport: valued for character and craft, yet not yet secure in a standard place. The cuts, tributes, and signing all arrived in a single day in May 2026, a reminder that careers
Valkyries Send Farewell Message to Kate Martin as She Lands Development Deal With Sparks
Martin did not stay unemployed for long.
Mark
Teams cut players all the time. Why did the Valkyries post a farewell?
Mimi
Because Martin was a fixture there. They drafted her sixth overall in the expansion draft, and she had her best season, 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 42 games. The posts thanked her and called her beloved.
Luke
Worth noting that's the team's own framing. The posts are public relations as much as sentiment, though coach Natalie Nakase did say separately that the decision was tough.
Mark
And she signed with the Sparks the same day?
Mimi
Yes, May 10, a player development contract. Raegan Pebley called her a gifted shooter with grittiness and a winning history.
Mark
What does that contract actually give her?
Mimi
No official roster spot. She can practice with the team and be activated for up to 12 games this season.
Luke
So she's not back on a standard roster. Calling this a big step is the outlet's opinion. Nothing in the reporting says a conversion is planned.
Mark
Players seemed to react strongly.
Mimi
Plenty commented on Instagram, including Paige Bueckers of the Wings. Martin is known as a popular teammate more than a star.
Luke
We only know of Bueckers by name. "Countless players" is a loose count, so I wouldn't read a number into it.
Mark
What's next, then?
Mimi
Whether the Sparks convert her to a standard deal.
Le Pouls
- The Golden State Valkyries waived guard Kate Martin before the 2026 season, leaving a sudden gap in a roster she had helped steady.
- Coach Natalie Nakase spoke openly about how hard it was to move on from the 25-year-old, underscoring the emotional weight of the decision.
- Within hours, the Los Angeles Sparks moved to sign her to a player development contract, turning a setback into a fresh start.
- The deal offers no guaranteed roster spot, only practice time and up to 12 game activations, so Martin must prove herself one opportunity at a time.
- Her future now hinges on whether the Sparks convert her to a standard contract, a question that will be answered on the court this season.
In the quiet rhythm of a professional season, a player who was let go by one team finds a new place among others, and the way her former home chose to say goodbye says as much about the people in the room as about the athlete herself. Kate Martin, a young guard whose path had brought her from the Las Vegas Aces to the Golden State Valkyries and now toward the Los Angeles Sparks, stands at a familiar crossroads of modern sport: valued for character and craft, yet not yet secure in a standard place. The cuts, tributes, and signing all arrived in a single day in May 2026, a reminder that careers often turn on a few days of goodbyes and beginnings. What comes next will be measured not in headlines but in whether a practice-floor opportunity becomes a lasting role.
On May 10, the Golden State Valkyries posted a series of tributes to Kate Martin, the guard they had cut before the 2026 season began. The messages thanked her for the mark she left on the organization and called her a beloved presence around the team, and a short montage of her best moments from the Bay Area followed. Their coach, Natalie Nakase, had recently spoken about how difficult it was to let go of the 25-year-old.
Martin's story in Golden State began in the 2025 expansion draft, when the Valkyries selected her sixth overall from the Las Vegas Aces. Coming off the bench, she produced the best numbers of her young career, averaging 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds across 42 appearances.
Martin did not wait long for her next chance. That same day, the Los Angeles Sparks announced they had signed the former second-round pick to a player development contract. General manager Raegan Pebley praised her as a gifted shooter with grit, tenacious defense, and an unselfish, high-energy style.
The deal is limited. Martin holds no official roster spot, but she can practice with the team and be activated for up to 12 games in 2026. She is not considered a star, yet her peers noticed the news, and Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers was among those pleased to see her land on her feet.
The road back to a standard WNBA contract is still open. For Martin, the signing is a chance to prove herself in practice and in a handful of games, and for the Sparks, it is a low-risk look at a player with a reputation as a good teammate.
On May 10, the Golden State Valkyries' social media team posted a series of tributes to Kate Martin, the guard the franchise had cut loose before the 2026 season began. The posts thanked her for the positive mark she left on the organization and called her a beloved presence in and around the team. The team also put together a short montage of her best moments from her brief time in the Bay Area.
Martin arrived in Golden State through the 2025 expansion draft, when the Valkyries took her sixth overall from the Las Vegas Aces. Coming off the bench, she put up the best numbers of her young career: 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game across 42 appearances.
The tributes followed shortly after Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase spoke about how hard it was to move on from the 25-year-old guard.
Martin did not stay unemployed for long. The same day, with the new season just getting started, the LA Sparks announced they had signed the former second-round pick to a player development contract.
Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley praised her in the team's press release. "Kate is a gifted shooter, whose grittiness and winning history mesh well with Sparks basketball," Pebley said. "She's confident in her shot, plays tenacious defense and is an unselfish, high-energy teammate. We're eager to watch Kate develop within our system."
The contract comes with limits. Martin does not hold an official roster spot under a development deal. She can practice with the team and be activated for up to 12 games during the 2026 season. In LA she joins a group headlined by Kelsey Plum, Cameron Brink and Nneka Ogwumike.
Martin is not regarded as a star-level talent, but she is well liked by her peers, and that showed on Sunday. After the Sparks' announcement reached Instagram, players from around the league commented. One of them was Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers, who was happy to see Martin land on her feet after the Valkyries waived her.
The road back to a standard WNBA roster is not finished. The signing gives her a chance to show what she can do in practice, and potentially in a dozen games, with the aim of eventually being converted to a standard contract. For LA, it is a low-risk look at a player in her third season, one with a reputation as a good locker room presence and a complementary skill set. What to watch is whether the Sparks make that conversion.
Citations marquantes
Kate is a gifted shooter, whose grittiness and winning history mesh well with Sparks basketball.— Raegan Pebley, Sparks general manager
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