To Facing Former Iowa Teammate Caitlin ClarkSaturday’s clash between the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever was a proud day for Iowa basketball.
Recently retired Hawkeyes head coach Lisa Bluder and her successor, Jan Jensen, sat courtside to see Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin, and Megan Gustafson play at Michelob Ultra Arena.Martin came up huge off the Aces bench, tallying a career-high 12 points and seven rebounds in a 99-80 home win. After the game, she discussed how it felt to oppose Clark after spending four seasons as teammates.”It was weird. I’m not gonna lie,” Martin said, via the WNBA. “Just looking out on the court and seeing her in a different jersey than me, it was obviously different. But it was really fun. We’re both living out our dream right now, and we both get to compete at the highest level. We’re both really grateful for that opportunity.”
Martin and Clark shared a heartfelt pre-game moment when reuniting on the court. Before running into Martin’s arms, Clark told reporters she’s called or texted her former backcourt mate every day since they left Iowa.
“She’s the ultimate teammate. She’s the ultimate person, ultimate leader,” Clark said of Martin. “She’s going to do whatever she can for her team. Just [a] super unselfish person, and honestly, she’s just a winner. She has that personality about her. Lucky enough she was my teammate, but also one of my best friends.”
The Iowa duo has entered the WNBA to far different circumstances.
Perhaps the most hyped rookie in the league’s history, Clark scored a season-low eight points on Saturday. The 22-year-old has yet to truly hit her stride, shooting 31.6 percent from three-point range while surrendering 5.3 turnovers per game for the 1-6 Fever.