As her first season in the WNBA progresses, Caitlin Clark is receiving support from a former teammate and fellow rookie.

When speaking to the media on Monday, Las Vegas Aces guard Kate Martin came to the defense of Clark — her close friend and four-year Iowa teammate — and the pressure created by those on the outside.

“Caitlin’s phenomenal, and she’s having a great rookie season. I think people are really hard on her and expecting her to be perfect,” Martin said. “That’s unrealistic, right?”
Former Iowa Hawkeyes teammates Caitlin Clark (L) #22 of the Indiana Fever and Kate Martin #20 of the Las Vegas Aces greet each other on the court during warmups before their game at Michelob ULTRA Arena on May 25, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Former Iowa Hawkeyes teammates Caitlin Clark (L) #22 of the Indiana Fever and Kate Martin #20 of the Las Vegas Aces greet each other on the court. Getty Images
Martin also extolled Clark’s qualities off the court and said that she’d always have her back.

“She’s a phenomenal person; she’s a phenomenal player,” Martin said. “I’m going to support her through everything.”

Clark and Martin played together on the Hawkeyes from 2020-24, with both starting all 139 games the team played in that span.

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever in her basketball uniform during a game against the Atlanta Dream at State Farm Arena

Caitlin Clark has become the focus of the WNBA. Getty Images
As Clark won two National Player of the Year awards and broke college basketball’s all-time scoring record, Martin was there as her backcourt mate literally every step.

The two took Iowa to unprecedented heights, reaching consecutive national championship games.

After the Hawkeyes’ loss to South Carolina in this year’s title matchup, Clark was taken No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft.

Martin, who attended the draft to support Clark, was also picked somewhat unexpectedly by the Aces in the second round.

Kate Martin #20 and Caitlin Clark #22 of the Iowa Hawkeyes take the court before the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament National Championship against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on April 07, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio.Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin were teammates at Iowa. Getty Images
Clark has had a strong start to her pro career, averaging 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game on 39.9 percent shooting.

Last week, Clark was unveiled as the second-ranked player in the WNBA’s All-Star Game voting.

Meanwhile, Martin has been a decent bench force in Las Vegas.

Across 13 games played (with one start), the 6-foot guard is averaging four points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on an average of 17.2 minutes per contest for the two-time defending champs.

Kate Martin dives for a loose ball for the Aces.
Clark and Martin first squared off against each other on May 25, with the Aces prevailing over the Fever 99-80.

The Hawkeye greats will next face each other on July 2.