Aces Rookie Kate Martin Leads A'ja Wilson in One Category
Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson is the world's best women's basketball player right now.
Wilson is currently leading the WNBA in points per game (27.3) and blocks (2.8) and is only behind rookie Angel Reese in rebounds (12.0). She is less than two weeks removed from winning a gold medal for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics (where she was named tournament MVP) and is currently a massive favorite to win the 2024 WNBA MVP award.
Despite all this success, Wilson still isn't leading her own team in jersey sales.
X user @LoLoByke posted a screenshot of the WNBA's top five players in jersey sales on Wednesday morning.
Leading the pack is Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark. After Clark is the aforementioned Angel Reese, and then New York Liberty star guard Sabrina Ionescu clocks in at No. 3.
Then came Aces rookie Kate Martin, before Wilson rounded out the top five behind her.
👀👀 #wnba pic.twitter.com/frefGaEvpc
— LoLivia Pope (@LoLoByke) August 21, 2024
The top three jersey sellers are no surprise, as most fans would agree that Clark, Reese, and Ionescu are the WNBA's three biggest, most marketable stars right now. But seeing Martin there — especially slotted in front of her teammate — is sure to shock some, if only because Martin only averages 13 minutes and 3.2 points per game for the two-time defending WNBA champs.
Of course, Martin's superstardom began as a byproduct of her playing with Caitlin Clark at the University of Iowa for the past four seasons.
And now Martin has built upon her fanbase during this 2024 rookie season in Vegas, to the point where she's a top jersey seller for the league.
Time will tell whether Martin can sustain this impressive popularity. Regardless, Wison will surely keep sustaining her success on the court.
GRANT YOUNG
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.