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Kate Martin still playing vital practice role for Valkyries amid Grade 2 quad strain
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- Kate Martin still playing vital practice role for Valkyries amid Grade 2 quad strain
Kate Martin still playing vital practice role for Valkyries amid Grade 2 quad strain appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
OAKLAND – The Golden State Valkyries will be without fan-favorite Kate Martin for the foreseeable future .
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The team announced Tuesday morning that the third-year guard out of Iowa has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 quad strain. Martin will be re-evaluated in one week.
“Yesterday, she said she had some soreness,” coach Natalie Nakase said at Valkyries training camp. “So… you know me with health.”
Martin was not seen at Golden State ’s practice on Monday by the media. But according to team officials, she was back in the locker room getting treatment at that time.
Nakase declined to comment on whether or not Martin underwent an MRI. Nakase also did not give out a specific timeline for when Martin will be able to return to the court, but emphasized that Martin remains in good spirits despite the injury.
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Martin was with the team throughout the entirety of Golden State’s Tuesday practice, encouraging her teammates along the sideline.
“She’s in amazing spirits,” Nakase said. “Kate knows, no matter [if] you got a little soreness or you’re banged up, you’re still here. You’re still present in practice. I said, make sure you’re going to be the energy monitor.
“So today she was on top of it, because she brings so much energy. Without Kate in it, she just made sure she was on the sidelines, underneath, in every huddle, and just constantly cheering her teammates on. So Kate knows the job. She’s amazing.”
Timeline for a Grade 2 quad strain
But while Martin seems to be handling her injury well mentally, the severity of a Grade 2 quad strain puts her at risk of missing significant time. The average recovery timeline for a Grade 2 quad strain ranges from four to six weeks because it is a partial tear of the muscle fibers.
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The Valkyries don’t have any more preseason games, and their season opener on May 8 gives her around two weeks of recovery time. But depending on the severity of her strain, Martin could be looking at missing a good part of the beginning of Golden State’s season.
Golden State’s no stranger to injuries , hence why Nakase’s been so big on health this training camp. Six players missed significant time due to injury last season. As a result, the Valkyries had to sign multiple players to emergency hardship contracts to stay afloat.
Luckily for the Valkyries, with the league adding two developmental roster spots in the new WNBA CBA, it should be easier to weather potential injury storms. Developmental players can be activated for up to 12 games and do not count against the salary cap. Should Martin miss significant time, Golden State can rely on those players to get by.
Martin’s injury could affect whether she makes the 12-woman final roster. Especially given how competitive the Valkyries training camp has been. Not to mention the unprotected nature of Martin’s rookie contract, as Golden State could waive her without a big hit to their books.
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However, her relationship with Nakase and her importance in the locker room are things Golden State values. Additionally, her experience and skill set scale far higher than anyone vying for her spot. As such, it would be a surprise if this injury leads to the Valkyries cutting Martin.
Related: How Valkyries’ Natalie Nakase plans to get the most out of Veronica Burton, Kaitlin Chen
