Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin received a playful initiation from her teammates, reminding her of her rookie status in the league.
For anyone familiar with high-level sports, it’s well known that rookies often face pranks and lighthearted hazing as part of team bonding activities. This was certainly the case for Kate Martin with her teammates on the Aces.
Star center A’ja Wilson shared a comical moment on her Instagram story, capturing the team pretending to leave Martin behind as they boarded the team bus after dinner. Martin quickly caught on and sprinted towards the bus, her quick realization and reaction drawing cheers and laughter from her teammates as she finally boarded:
“Welcome to the pros, Kate.”
Drafted by the Aces in the second round, 18th overall in this year’s WNBA draft, Martin has made a promising start to her professional career. In her first five games, she has averaged 5.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, with a 35.3 percent shooting accuracy from beyond the arc.
Martin, alongside Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark, previously led the Iowa Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2022 and 2023, where they finished runners-up to LSU and South Carolina, respectively.
The Las Vegas Aces are off to a strong start this season, continuing their momentum as back-to-back WNBA champions. They boast a 4-2 record as they prepare for their upcoming home game against the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night.
A’ja Wilson is once again a key player for the Aces, averaging 26.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Jackie Young is also making significant contributions with an average of 20.7 points and 7.7 assists per game.
As of today, the Aces are ranked fifth in the WNBA standings, trailing the undefeated Connecticut Sun by 3.5 games.
