Kate Martin addressed joining the Los Angeles Sparks on a developmental contract and her conversations with head coach Lynne Roberts.
Kate Martin signed with the Los Angeles Sparks on a developmental contract on Sunday morning, four days after the Golden State Valkyries waived her.
Under the developmental-contract structure, Martin is eligible to appear in up to 12 regular-season games. She will earn $6,136 per game when active and a $750 weekly stipend when inactive. The developmental roster is a new mechanism in the WNBA collective bargaining agreement negotiated this offseason.
Martin spoke to reporters at Crypto.com Arena before the Sparks' season opener against the Las Vegas Aces.
"It was brutal," Martin said. "It was a business decision. That's what professional sports is. It's a business. It wasn't an easy process, and now I feel like I can relate to a lot more people on a level I never wanted to be able to relate on. But it's going to help me as a leader and a person going forward."
Martin was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, selected by the Aces out of Iowa. The Valkyries took her in the expansion draft ahead of the 2025 season, and she averaged 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game across one season with the franchise.
Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase addressed the decision to waive Martin earlier in the week.
"It was very emotional, a lot of heartache," Nakase said. "Kate was our family member and someone we cared about deeply. And we still do care deeply about Kate. It's hard because we are trying to build the best team possible."
The Valkyries informed Martin of the decision on Wednesday. The Sparks announced the signing before 8 a.m. local time on Sunday. Martin flew from San Francisco to Los Angeles in the afternoon and joined the team at Crypto.com Arena.
The Sparks added Nneka Ogwumike, Erica Wheeler, and Ariel Atkins in free agency this offseason. Kelsey Plum entered her second season with the Sparks, and Martin said she contacted Plum before the move. The two played together in Las Vegas during Martin's rookie season.
Martin said she spoke with Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts before deciding to sign.
"They wanted me here, and I had really good talks with Coach Roberts," Martin said. "I felt confident in my decision because of the way they approached me and thought I would fit well into this system."
The Sparks lost the season opener to the Aces 105-78 later that night.
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