Chicago Sky Sign Kate Martin to Developmental Contract

 

One of the most beloved players in the WNBA, Kate Martin has had an unpredictable season full of highs and lows. Earlier today (September 2), Martin was signed by the Chicago Sky on a developmental contract.

A Career Full of Ups and Downs

Martin's WNBA Transaction Summary

Kate Martin has had one of the most unique careers in recent WNBA history and she's only in her third season. From getting drafted from the audience by the Las Vegas Aces in 2024, to be selected in the 2025 WNBA Expansion Draft by the Golden State Valkyries, to then being waived by the Valkyries, to then being signed the Los Angeles Sparks to a developmental contract, to then have her contract upgraded to a standard contract, to then get waived by the Sparks, to most recently be signed by the Chicago Sky on a developmental contract, if there's one thing we know about Martin is how resilient she is. 

Searching for Stability

In her rookie season for the Las Vegas Aces, Martin averaged 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds in approximately 11.5 minutes per game. In the Golden State Valkyries' inaugural season, Martin became a pivotal piece to their playoff berth in just her sophomore season. Martin was a spark off the bench while also making a handful of starts where she averaged 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and one assist per game still on about 16.4 minutes per game. While Martin's playing time hadn't drastically increased, she maximized her time on the court as she tripled her scoring. Just as many thought Martin had found a home where she was not only embraced by her team, but also the fans, things went sideways. One of the many returners for the Valkyries, Martin was looking to continue to solidify herself as a cornerstone piece for Golden State. That said, things quickly took a turn as the Valkyries waived Martin just days before the 2026 regular season kicked off. A confusing decision for both Martin and fans all over the world, no one knew what lied ahead for the 6-foot guard. 

Shortly after being waived by Golden State, on May 10, the Los Angeles Sparks signed Martin to a developmental contract. Nearly two months later, as Martin's permitted games (developmental players are only able to compete in 12 games under this contract) dwindled as she would see increased minutes, the Sparks signed her to a standard contract on July 6. However, even after getting signed to a full standard contract, Los Angeles did not utilize Martin nearly as much as many anticipated. Since signing the standard contract, Martin would only compete in seven games prior to being waived by the Sparks on August 29 alongside Alissa Pili. As it was not nearly as unexpected as when she was waived by the Valkyries, fans were still distraught over the matter. That said, Los Angeles Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts expressed her confidence in Martin signing with a team, knowing the player and person Martin is. On the brightside, earlier today, Martin signed a developmental contract with the Chicago Sky as she looks to maximize her opportunities in her third WNBA season before the regular season concludes.

A New Opportunity in Chicago

A Hometown Hero

What was once a challenging period for Martin as she was waived for the second time in her career now points her to something even better. From Edwardsville, Illinois, signing with the Chicago Sky allows for Martin to compete in her home state. Considerably a hometown hero as Edwardsville is just about four hours away from Chicago, there's no doubt that Martin is thrilled to compete in front of a "home" crowd. 

What Does Martin Bring to the Sky?

Taking her talents to Chicago, Martin has a lot to offer the Sky as they look to finish the season stronger than they started it. Having played alongside Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark for four years at the University of Iowa, Martin knows what it's like to play around those who demand the ball. This works out in her favor because as the Sky have continued to develop undrafted rookie Sydney Taylor and continued to rely on Natasha Cloud and Courtney Vandersloot to handle the ball as Skylar Diggins has been ruled out for the rest of the season, Martin is in good hands regarding guard play. Not only can Martin learn from Vandersloot, one of the greatest point guards in WNBA history, but she can also bring floor spacing as Martin is a deadly three-point shooter herself. When embraced as a top option on offense at Iowa, Martin averaged 35.5 percent shooting from three in her collegiate career and 41.4 percent in her senior season. As the Sky seem to maximize Martin's time as a developmental player, could we see her shooting splits and even points per game skyrocket? Shooting splits aside, arguably the greatest characteristic of Martin and her playstyle is how selfless she is. When competing in game, Martin is often seeing the "dirty work" as she puts in maximum effort for rebounds, loose balls, boxouts, you name it. This grit, effort, and selfless attitude can't be taught, making Martin's value as a teammate and coachable player priceless as her goals are to win and see everyone around her succeed.

What's Left for the Sky?

As the WNBA regular season is currently on pause for the 2026 FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup, the Chicago Sky have approximately two weeks to not only adapt to bringing in Kate Martin but also plan ahead for their four remaining matchups. Because a developmental contract permits a player to play 12 games, Martin is eligible to compete in each of these matchups, and it will be interesting to see how Chicago Sky head coach Tyler Marsh intends to use her. The remaining regular season games for the Sky are as followed in the order of date, matchup, and game time (ET):

• Thursday, September 17 | vs. Washington Mystics | 8:00 p.m.
• Saturday, September 19 | @ Atlanta Dream | 7:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 22 | vs. Toronto Tempo | 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday, September 24 | @ Washington Mystics | 7:30 p.m.

Considering that the Sky have already been eliminated from the playoffs, could head coach Tyler Marsh look to work Martin into the lineup often to see how she adapts to their playstyle with the possibility of signing her for the 2027 season?