Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin will miss at least one week with a Grade 2 quad strain, putting her availability for the May 8 opener in question.
Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin suffered a Grade 2 quad strain and will be sidelined for at least one week.
Martin is set to be re-evaluated on May 5. With Saturday's 78-76 preseason win over the Seattle Storm at Chase Center serving as Golden State's lone exhibition tune-up, that evaluation now stands as the only checkpoint between Martin and the regular season.
Per Valkyreis head coach Natalie Nakase, Martin reported soreness on Monday, two days removed from logging 23 minutes in the preseason finale. She finished that game with 8 points and 7 rebounds. Martin was also one of only two Valkyries starters Nakase carried into the second half. Asked Tuesday if Martin had been sent for imaging, Nakase passed, calling it "a medical question."
Nakase said Martin has stayed plugged in around the team since the diagnosis.
"She's in amazing spirits," Nakase said. "Kate knows that no matter if you've got a little soreness or you're banged up, you're still here, still present in practice."
Nakase has deployed Martin as the Valkyries' "energy monitor" while she is sidelined with injury. She's often relied on to bring energy when she plays, but she will continue to ensure that effort is sustained in every huddle and on the sideline pushing teammates.
Whether Martin plays in Golden State's season opener on May 8 against the Seattle Storm remains to be seen. The home opener at Chase Center takes place on May 10 against the Phoenix Mercury.
Martin, 25, averaged 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assists across 16.4 minutes per game last season.
Veronica Burton and Kaitlyn Chen led the way through Saturday's preseason win, with Burton scoring 14 first-half points on four 3-pointers and Chen adding 11 points and three assists in 29 minutes. Training camp signing Miela Sowah also matched Burton's 14 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range in the second half.
Golden State finished 23-21 last season and became the first expansion franchise in WNBA history to qualify for the playoffs in its inaugural campaign before being swept in the first round by the Minnesota Lynx.
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