The Iowa Hawkeyes honored Caitlin Clark on Sunday by retiring her jersey. It was a tribute to the star point guard's profound impact during her four-year tenure with the team. The moment sparked an outpouring of admiration from WNBA players, fans and analysts as Iowa celebrated her extraordinary college career.
Among those who congratulated Clark on this prestigious honor was her former teammate, Kate Martin. The Iowa alum shared a photo of Clark’s jersey being raised into the rafters, accompanied by a heartfelt caption commemorating the special moment.
"Into the rafters forever. Proud of you CC," Martin wrote.
Martin had a front-row seat to Caitlin Clark’s rise to stardom as the duo shared countless memorable moments at Iowa. Together, they played a pivotal role in leading the Hawkeyes to back-to-back national championship game appearances in 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, Clark solidified her legacy by winning the Naismith Player of the Year award in both seasons.
Clark was visibly emotional as Iowa retired her jersey, marking a significant milestone in her career. The Indiana Fever superstar expressed her deep gratitude, making it clear how much the honor and the unwavering support from her ever-growing fan base meant to her.
"I want to say thank you to everybody that's here today, first of all," Clark said. "It means a lot to me. I know probably wasn't cheap to get in the door. So, I really appreciate you all being here and your support, not only to myself, but this amazing team and today was incredible."
Speaking of the bond between Martin and Clark, the duo developed a strong friendship during their time at Iowa, built through countless hours spent together in the gym and on the court. Recently, Clark even expressed her desire to recruit Martin to the Indiana Fever in the future.
Kate Martin is currently playing in Unrivaled
Kate Martin is currently competing in the 3x3 Unrivaled basketball in Miami. The former Las Vegas Aces guard is representing Laces BC and has already played six games in the tournament.
Now a member of the Golden State Valkyries, Martin has had an inconsistent start to the competition. Through six games, she is averaging 8.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.
On Saturday, Martin took the court during Laces BC’s 83-69 loss to Rose BC. However, she struggled with her shooting, finishing with eight points on 3 of 11 from the field, including 0 of 5 from beyond the arc.