WNBA players have plenty of options in the offseason, especially if they want to use that time to keep working on their game. Some join teams in Europe, some play in Asia, and now, for the first time, some players also had the option to play for Unrivaled in Miami. Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart founded Unrivaled largely to allow players to make money while playing basketball without having to travel overseas for months at a time.

So far, the league is off to a good start. Games are fast-paced and always end with an exciting game-winner, and some of the biggest WNBA stars have been showing out. Napheesa Collier, for example, looks every bit like the MVP-level player she was for the Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA season, leading Unrivaled in points and rebounds per game as a member of the still undefeated Lunar Owls.

It is not just the stars who came to play in Unrivaled, though. Some WNBA youngsters are also showing out. One of them is Kate Martin, who is using the opportunity to join Unrivaled to her advantage.

Playing in Unrivaled will pay off for Kate Martin in the WNBA

Joining Unrivaled in its inaugural season comes with the unique opportunity to help build the foundation for the league’s success and take professional women’s basketball to the next level. That, paired with the high salaries, was enough to convince most players to join. Nevertheless, there are also risks involved. With the fast pace and physicality of the games, players have to be careful to avoid injuries that could derail their WNBA seasons.

Still, playing in Unrivaled was the best decision Kate Martin could have made this offseason. As a rookie with the Las Vegas Aces, Martin did not get much playing time, which is not unusual for young players who join teams looking to win a championship. Martin had great veterans around her and certainly learned a lot from her time with the Aces, but she did not get much of a chance to show off her skill set and make a name for herself in the WNBA.

Nevertheless, the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the expansion draft. Joining a new team like the Valkyries means Martin will have the chance to claim a larger role. So far, playing in Unrivaled has been the perfect audition for Martin’s time with the Valkyries, as she is making the most of the chance to display her skill set while playing against some of the top WNBA players.

Martin is the youngest member of the Laces—The team also features Alyssa Thomas, Jackie Young, Tiffany Haynes, Kayla McBride, and Stefanie Dolson—but Martin is still averaging 8.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game and showing off her versatility. Her ability to defend at a high level and willingness to do all the little things have been invaluable in the 3-on-3 setting. In fact, she is playing so well that Caitlin Clark wants to recruit her to the Fever.

Martin may not be a starter for the Laces and is not playing a ton of minutes, but she is showing game after game that she can be a good rotational player on a successful team filled with veterans. That is exactly what she needed to prove to truly kickstart her WNBA career and have a successful season with the Valkyries.