Former Iowa Hawkeye Kate Martin makes Las Vegas Aces' opening roster

Former Iowa Hawkeyes guard Kate Martin has made the Las Vegas Aces roster ahead of the WNBA's opening night.

Martin, 23, was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and became the second Iowa player drafted this year – after No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark – when the Aces selected her in the second round. She's one of two rookies to make the the reigning champions' 12-woman roster alongside fellow guard Dyaisha Fair, Las Vegas' first-round pick out of Syracuse.

Martin will wear the No. 20 jersey for the Aces, just as she did for the Hawkeyes in college. She's one of six guards listed on Las Vegas' roster and will get the chance to learn from some of the league's best guards in teammates Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young.

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Kate Martin beat the odds to make the roster

Martin faced an uphill battle to make the WNBA roster as a second-round pick.

According to reporting from On3's Hawkeye Report, less than 25% of second- and third-round picks in the WNBA draft – 17 out of 72, to be specific – have made the opening day roster in the last three years.

Martin joins those ranks after a strong senior showing from the Hawkeyes – shooting over 50% from the field while averaging 13.1 points per game – and a solid preseason performance with the Aces.

In the Aces' sole preseason game – against the Puerto Rico National Team on Saturday – Martin played 10 minutes off of the bench. She scored five points, tallied two assists and finished the game with a +/- of +9 on the day.

"Kate Martin is awesome. Kate Martin picks up things so quickly," said Plum. "I think (Aces head coach) Becky [Hammon] nicknamed her 'Kate Money Martin,' so I think that could stick because she really is."

"When I say 'money,' it's not just about scoring and stuff. She's just in the right place at the right time; she just makes people better."

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Las Vegas Aces roster 2024

Here's the full Las Vegas Aces roster for opening night of the 2024 season.

Who do the Aces play next?

The Las Vegas Aces open their season against the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, May 14. Tip-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kate Martin defies odds, makes Aces roster as second-round pick