Two players. Two generational talents. Two rivals whose names define UConn and Iowa basketball—Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. Today, they also define Dallas and Indiana in the WNBA. But what about the ones who stood beside them on draft night? The Golden State Valkyries house two such figures, Kate Martin and Kaitlyn Chen, whose eerily similar paths have caught the eye of a certain national analyst. And what she noticed might just signal something bigger brewing in San Francisco.
Yes, we’re talking about Martin and Chen—two overlooked prospects who came to the draft simply to support their superstar teammates and ended up drafted themselves. On her podcast The Courtside Club, DeMita connected the dots between their journeys, saying, “Kate Martin was also somebody who we didn’t know if she was going to be drafted. She was at the draft to support Kaitlyn Clark, so you’re kind of seeing a pattern here with the players who are on the Valkyries.”
Martin herself acknowledged the unexpected nature of her selection during a 2024 ESPN interview: “I’m really happy to be here. I was here to support Caitlin Clark.”
And then DeMita pointed out another coincidence one in terms of jersey sales , “I saw a video that Mick Talks Hoops made where he talked about Kaitlyn Chen’s jersey already being one of the highest selling jerseys.” She drove her point home by referencing the WNBA store, where both Martin and Chen’s jerseys were featured among the top sellers, alongside Clark, Bueckers, Reese, Wilson, and Van Lith.
As it turns out, Chen shared the same fate—and humility—after being picked 30th overall: “I was really just here to watch Paige get drafted, and I’m so happy for her, but it’s been an unreal night,” she told reporters on the draft night.
Two backup stories. Two surprise picks. Two fan-favorite jerseys. One team: the Valkyries. Something special is clearly brewing—and DeMita might be the first to see it coming.
Golden State Valkyries: Building a Team, Drafting a Vibe
In fact one could say , that the Golden State Valkyries aren’t just building a team—they’re drafting a vibe. With rookies like Kaitlyn Chen and Justė Jocytė, this isn’t your average expansion-year survival story. It’s more like an origin myth in the making—equal parts savvy and swagger, with coach Natalie Nakase at the helm scripting something fresh and fearless.
Their strategy? Think of it as “Chaos with a Compass.” They’ve brought together a global cast of competitors—10 international players and a mix of rookies and seasoned vets—not to mimic other teams, but to unearth chemistry in unexpected places. Chen, coming off a national championship with UConn, embodies this blueprint: unheralded, unshaken, and suddenly unstoppable. She wasn’t even supposed to be drafted. Now she’s suiting up under Nakase—the WNBA’s first Asian American head coach.
May 6, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin (20) during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Sparks at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Rather than forcing a face-of-the-franchise narrative, GM Ohemaa Nyanin is letting the team’s identity emerge organically. In fact, Nyanin stated after draft night, “It remains to be seen after this first season if what we did in the expansion draft, free agency and collegiate draft is the runway for other expansion teams.” The message? No assumptions. Earn your jersey. Find your fit. Play your role—or reinvent it.
The Valkyries know they might not win 20 games this year—but they’re betting on something deeper: laying the cultural foundation, discovering who thrives under bright lights, and becoming the team free agents and fans want to join next year. And well, that vision may have started taking shape as early as their inaugural game—a thrilling 83-82 win against the Sparks.
The Valkyries played in front of a packed Chase Center, with 17,428 fans in attendance. After the game, Rachael DeMita even said, “I could see the Golden State Valkyries being a free agency destination for a lot of these players because who doesn’t want to play in front of a sold-out arena, in front of a crowd and fan base who is going to ride this hard for this team?”
It’s not tanking. It’s trial by fire—with a spark of joy and a side of defiance.
And if you’re underestimating them? That’s exactly what they’re counting on.
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