"In awe whenever I see Steph Curry sitting courtside" - Kate Martin describes her experience transitioning from Iowa to WNBA

Las Vegas Aces rookie Kate Martin has shared that her transition from the University of Iowa to the WNBA has mostly been smooth. However, she admits that she occasionally finds herself in awe of her progress and how far she has come in her basketball journey.

The 24-year-old Illinois native, who played for the Iowa Hawkeyes along with Caitlin Clark in college, shared this prior to Game 2 of the WNBA semifinals matchup between the Aces and the New York Liberty on Tuesday.

"Our attention and the following at Iowa the last couple of years was at a pinnacle -- most viewed game, we were part of a lot of those," said Kate Martin.

"I'm still in awe whenever I see Steph Curry sitting courtside, or LeBron James, or anybody sitting courtside. Like, that's super cool. But, I'm glad that I got to experience that while I was in college as well. Because it's been a smooth transition," she added.

Check out what she had to say below:

This season, Kate Martin has seen limited minutes for the Aces but has been a steady piece in their rotation. She played in 34 regular-season games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.6 rebounds in 12 minutes of play.

Meanwhile, the two-time defending champions fell to 0-2 in their best-of-five semifinal series against the Liberty, after losing, 88-84, in Game 2.

Action swings to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Friday, and the Aces will try to keep their title-defense hopes alive.

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Kate Martin grateful for immense fan support even now in the pros

Kate Martin had a lot of fans during her time with the Iowa Hawkeyes and is grateful that such support has translated well now that she is in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces.

While she has not seen a lot of playing time as compared to fellow rookies like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink, Martin is one of the more popular players in the WNBA.

She shared her thoughts on the matter to media back in July, highlighting that she did not expect to garner the attention that she has received.

"I feel really grateful to be in a position I'm in. I honestly did not expect to have any fans when I came her. I had no expectations in that sort of way and I think fans like that. I don't know," said Kate Martin (via Sports Illustrated).

"I don't really get it, honestly. If I'm being honest, at the end of the day, I don't get it. But I feel super grateful for it. It gives me a little bit of confidence, it makes me feel good when I hear the fans cheer for me when I'm checking in. So, I really appreciate that," she added.

As further testament to her growing WNBA popularity, Martin's jersey is among the most sought-after by fans, selling out in the Aces' team shop.