Kate Martin one of 12 Aces remaining in WNBA Training Camp

LAS VEGAS – Kate Martin seemingly came out on the right side of a busy 24 hours for the Las Vegas Aces.

After waiving two players and adding one Monday, the Aces released forward Angel Jackson on Tuesday afternoon. The move leaves Las Vegas with 12 players on the roster.

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The WNBA allows for teams to carry a minimum of 11 players and maximum of 12 players on the regular season roster. Teams must be down to at least 12 players by May 13. Last season, Las Vegas played with an 11-player roster.

Once the regular season starts, WNBA teams can still waive players and sign players under hardship contracts when the roster dips below 11 healthy players.

With the four moves in the last day, Martin, a 2018 Edwardsville High School graduate, looks primed to make the final roster barring a setback.

“If I fortunately would make the final roster, I’ve been in that position before, I know how to be a role-player. I know how to support stars,” Martin said during media day. “I’ve done that for quite a few years, so my intention is to come in and give 100 percent effort every single day, never take a rep off and just work really hard to be a good teammate.”

The two-time defending WNBA champion Aces started training camp on April 28 with 17 players, including Martin, who was selected in the second round with the 18th overall pick by Las Vegas.

Prior to Monday, the Aces had already said goodbye to three players with Candace Parker retiring on April 28 and Brea Beal and Morgan Jones being waived on May 2.

The Aces announced Monday that guards Bria Hartley and Kamaria McDaniel had been waived and they had signed forward Emma Cannon.

Martin received a ringing endorsement from Las Vegas star Kelsey Plum on Monday.

“I’m excited. Kate Martin is awesome. She picks up things pretty quickly. Becky nicknamed her Kate ‘Money’ Martin, so I think that’s going to stick,” Plum said. “She’s in the right place at the right time which is what makes it better. That’s what the coaches value and that’s why she’s going to be a great asset for the team.”

Another endorsement for Martin came from her former college teammate Caitlin Clark, who was the No. 1 pick by the Indiana Fever.

“She’s a pro player. She brings every asset that you could possibly want — whether it’s shooting, defense or leadership. In my eyes she’s one of the best leaders I’ve been around in my entire life,” Clark said. “She’s somebody I can always lean on and rely on, whether she’s my teammate, whether she’s just my friend — I wish she was still my teammate. I’m just really happy and excited for her.”

It was less than two months ago that Martin and Clark finished their careers at Iowa. Martin ended her college run with 1,299 points, 756 rebounds, 473 assists, 148 steals and 70 blocks in 163 games. She is the only player in program history with at least 900 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists, 120 steals and 60 blocks.

Matt Kamp is the sports editor for The Edwardsville Intelligencer. A graduate of Edwardsville High School and the University of Illinois, Matt has been writing for the paper since he was a junior in high school in 2001 and on a full-time basis since 2010.