Kate Martin’s impressive performance and half-court shot make her a fan favorite in Las Vegas

Kate Martin drains half-court shot, wows Aces fans and teammates(AP Photo/John Locher)LAPRESSE

Kate Martin, the former Iowa Hawkeyes standout, has quickly become a fan favorite for the Las Vegas Aces. Selected 18th overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Martin’s impact on her new team is already making headlines.

Aces head coach Becky Hammon has been vocal about Martin’s contributions. “She’s got the spirit of a champion, and it shows,” Hammon said on Friday. “Her energy is contagious.”

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Martin’s influence was on full display during a recent practice, where a video of her draining a half-court shot went viral on the Aces’ official social media account. The clip, captioned “MONEY MARTIN!!,” drew an outpouring of support from fans.

“She’s gonna be a star,” one fan commented. “Kate out here living her best life and I love that for her. #A4L #ALLINLV,” wrote another.

Martin’s prowess earned her playing time against her former Iowa teammate Caitlin Clark when their teams faced off for the first time in the WNBA.

Iowa legends clash in the WNBA

Saturday’s game saw former Iowa Hawkeyes stars Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin face each other as WNBA opponents. Clark, drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever, and Martin, now with the Aces, rekindled their college rivalry in a highly anticipated matchup.

Despite Martin’s limited eight minutes on the court, the game was closely watched for the showdown between the two friends. Clark’s Fever, hoping to build momentum after a recent win, faced a tough challenge against the back-to-back defending champion Aces.

The Las Vegas Aces, led by 2023 WNBA Finals MVP A’ja Wilson, overpowered the Fever with a 99-80 victory at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The Fever, grappling with a five-game losing streak, struggled against the Aces, who are off to a strong 3-1 start in their quest for a third consecutive WNBA title, a feat not achieved since the Houston Comets era.

New Georgia Bulldogs QB Jaden Rashada Is Suing Florida Gators Head Coach Billy Napier

Jaden Rashada (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Jaden Rashada is reportedly suing Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier over unpaid NIL funds.

The quarterback, who transferred from Arizona to Georgia this offseason, shouldn’t expect a warm welcome whenever he goes to Florida, especially on the back of this latest development.

According to CBS Sports’ John Talty, Rashada has filed a lawsuit against Napier and Gators booster Hugh Hathcock for fraud.

The lawsuit also names school staff member Marcus Castro-Walker and claims that the player committed to Florida because he was promised a $13 million NIL payment that the defendants named in the lawsuit never intended to pay.

It notes that Napier and others “orchestrated and executed a fraud upon Jaden and were substantially and knowingly assisted by one another in carrying out the fraud.”

“Each of their individual schemes would not have succeeded without assistance from one another,” it adds.

Jaden Rashada Lost A Mega NIL Deal From Miami

The lawsuit also accuses Castro-Walker of having a huge role in the player’s rejection of a lucrative offer to play for Miami. The top-rated quarterback originally committed to the Hurricanes in 2022 following a $9.5 million offer but was convinced to do otherwise by Napier, Castro-Walker, and Hathcock.

“The [NIL] collective never had the money and yet they were making all of these promises to the kid,” Rashada’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, told CBS Sports.

“You dangle life-changing, generation-changing money in front of a 19-year-old kid, who grew up without it, you can’t expect that young person to not be affected by it. The bargaining power is totally unequal here.”

The suit adds that “Jaden’s miserable experience reveals, in stark and dramatic detail, what can happen to young student-athletes when wealthy, win-at-all-cost alumni insert themselves into college football’s recruiting process.”

According to the lawsuit, Rashada endured the loss of his $9.5 million NIL deal with Miami, plus other compensation, and was the victim of a new world in which boosters have the most influence. It also seeks punitive damages.