Fans At Odds Over Kate Martin's WNBA Expansion Draft Protection Projections
With the Golden State Valkyries' WNBA Expansion Draft arriving on December 6, there is a lot of interest among the women's basketball community which players will end up getting protected by their respective teams.
November 25 marked the day when all 12 current WNBA teams must submit their lists of six protected players,
There's no way of knowing for sure which players were protected, as this information hasn't yet been made public (and might never be). But this uncertainty has led to multiple interesting predictions about which players will end up protected and which will become available to get taken by the Valkyries.
ESPN's November 22 protected list prediction article sparked a lot of conversation; particularly as it pertained to them having former Iowa Hawkeyes and current Las Vegas Aces player Kate Martin getting protected.
Every WNBA team can protect six players in Golden State's expansion draft on Dec. 6. We project which players will be protected — or unprotected — on draft day. https://t.co/4X0GtdNrYu
— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) November 22, 2024
"The Aces will quickly protect their four core players, including Plum, a likely candidate for the core designation as an unrestricted free agent. Rookie Martin has a bargain minimum salary and would be tempting for the Valkyries, so I'd protect her next," ESPN's Kevin Pelton wrote.
One X user posted a screenshot of the projected Aces protected list with the caption, "[PAUSE] kate martin protected…"
[PAUSE] kate martin protected… pic.twitter.com/aXHHZ3URHj
— maia (@lessiirusso) November 25, 2024
Chicago Sun-Times reporter Annie Costabile also released her own projected protected lists, and also predicted that Martin would be safe.
Some fans don't seem to agree with this prediction.
"Nika Muhl and Kate Martin being on these lists is very odd to me.
"The protections are suppose to be used for starters and the best players. Not supporting role players and bench warmers," one X user wrote in response to Costabile.
Nika Muhl and Kate Martin being on these lists is very odd to me.
— Ayra (@Ayra12394152278) November 25, 2024
The protections are suppose to be used for starters and the best players. Not supporting role players and bench warmers. https://t.co/kYBCNki8WV
"Nika and Kate protected ?
"Aces would be dumb not to protect Kitley," wrote another.
Speculation aside, one reason why the Aces keeping Martin makes sense is that she's proven to be popular and positively impacts their bottom line, which is something all WNBA franchises — which are businesses at the end of the day — are surely taking into account as this Expansion Draft nears.
Not to mention Martin was just a rookie and has shown she can play off of star players.
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.