Fired-up on court, Kate Martin quickly diffused sparks with Skylar Diggins-Smith, emphasizing respect and admiration after their intense game exchange.
Competitive fire spilled over Tuesday night in Unrivaled, but Kate Martin made sure to cool things down afterward.
During a heated third-quarter sequence between Breeze BC and Lunar Owls, Martin and Skylar Diggins-Smith exchanged words after Diggins scored on a drive with 22.9 seconds left. Diggins added a gesture and a few pointed comments as she backpedaled. Martin responded by stepping into her space, appearing to mock the celebration. Officials assessed double technical fouls.
The moment quickly circulated online. Diggins finished with 23 points and five assists in a 75-70 Lunar Owls win, while Martin scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting. But the postgame tone told a different story.
“No, no, no. I think it’s just the game of basketball,” Martin said on the We Need To Talk podcast of the exchange. “When you’re competitive, you’re fiery, you’re passionate — that happens. And everybody knows Skylar Diggins is one of the most passionate and fiery players. I respect the heck out of her. It’s nothing but love.”
Martin framed the moment as “heat of the moment,” even calling it an honor to go back-and-forth with a veteran she admires. “She had scored on me, had some comments to say — I loved it. Sometimes that makes the game more fun.”
However, Unrivaled’s 3-on-3 format has created a relaxed off-court environment, but the competition has remained sharp. Recent viral moments, including Paige Bueckers reacting to a foul in a 1-on-1 loss to Chelsea Gray, and commentary from Lisa Leslie on a hard foul involving Brittney Griner, have underscored that intensity remains part of the product.
For Martin, managing intensity without fueling controversy has become part of her public persona. On the same We Need To Talk podcast, she sidestepped a viral trap when asked to bench, start, or cut A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark, and Bueckers. “I’m not doing that,” she laughed. “You can’t get me caught up.”
Given her personality, it was a savvy response, though. Wilson is the reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, while Clark and Bueckers, both All-WNBA First Team rookies, represent the league’s next defining rivalry. Choosing between them would have ignited a fan war overnight.
Instead, Martin continues to position herself as competitive but grounded, someone who’s willing to engage on the court, unwilling to flare up off it. As Unrivaled heads toward its semifinals in Brooklyn, moments like Tuesday’s may help build buzz, provided they stay within the lines of basketball.