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Las Vegas Aces Rookie Kate Martin Stolen In Expansion Draft

Author Shawn Tempesta
She showed some glimmers of promise but if you want to see Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin shine, you'll need to look at Golden State.

It is completely and utterly unfair that Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin was just plucked away from the team in the WNBA Expansion Draft so the Golden State Valkyries can enter the league with decent players. Who do they think they are? The Vegas Golden Knights?

OK, so we guess it is fair but it doesn’t make it suck any less.

Was Las Vegas Aces Rookie Kate Martin Any Good?

You don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone. But in this case, you may not know how Kate was on the court. After all, Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin is on a team full of pretty well defined superstars. We can’t blame you for not knowing every stat.

To put it short… the jury is out but there were shimmers of something positive.

According to an article from SB Nation, Martin was impressing players and coaches during her first year in the league. So much so that Kelsey Plum said head coach Becky Hammon called her Kate “Money” Martin.

She was seeing a lot of play while Chelsea Gray was sidelined with an injury, but when a player of Gray’s caliber gets healthy, you’ve gotta have her start.

Wait, How Did Golden State Get To Do This Again?

Just like the Vegas Golden Knights did in their expansion draft before their first season in 2017, the Golden State Valkyries had the ability to build their franchise off of the unprotected players from other teams.

In the WNBA expansion draft’s case, each team in the league was allowed to protect five players on their teams. In this case, Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin had talent, but the Aces have a hell of a roster. Either protect your core, or call it quits on a major player you might not see a future with.

Whatever the case, Kate is out of town. We wish her well. Until she plays us.

Shawn Tempesta is the co-host of Aimee+Shawn on 102.7 VGS in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is also an Emmy award nominated television host. As a content creator for 102.7 VGS, Shawn writes about current events, education, funny and trending stories.

Scenes From The Las Vegas Aces Parade (PICTURES)

You’ll never forget your first.

The Las Vegas Aces won game 4 in the WNBA Finals on Sunday night in Connecticut, taking with them the WNBA Championship and Las Vegas‘ very first major league sports title. With the honor, comes the party! A short parade followed by a massive party in front of the Bellagio fountains.

Fans were rushing from (or playing hooky from) work to make it in time for the event, flocking to the area mostly from the Caesars Palace parking lot. In front of Caesars, a staging area for the parade with Raiderettes, classic cars, members of the Boys & Girls Club and Broadway In The Hood gearing up to take the route. Then, a horn was blasting out of nowhere. Travelling north on Las Vegas Boulevard, a chartered bus with the Las Vegas Aces was barreling down the street! The parade was coming soon!

Aces staff went up and down the parade route handing out signs, pom-poms, rally towels and more.

At 5:30 sharp, the parade began. Down the street came community members holding “CHAMPS” in balloon lettering. Motorcycle cops and the Nevada State Police‘s “Aces” cruisers, local community organizations and more.

Then, the “Big Bus” double-decker buses rolled through. A’ja Wilson, like Rose in Titanic planted at the front of the first bus with the WNBA Championship in her hand and a grin you couldn’t wipe off if you tried. Aces owner Mark Davis standing close by, almost undetectable wearing a hat. Finals MVP Chelsea Gray holding her MVP trophy precariously off the side of the bus.

They headed towards the stage in front of the Bellagio with thousands in attendance awaiting them. So many that they actually closed the other side of Las Vegas Boulevard – something officials weren’t expecting to do.

The famed Las Vegas Strip, playground to tourists from around the world, was for one rare moment taken over by locals. Local organizations, local fans, our local team. It was a special day! Congrats Aces! Here’s to next year!

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