Kate Martin injured: Aces rookie was helped off the court with a calf injury in the loss to Sky

Las Vegas Aces Newbie Kate Martin The team lost unexpectedly 93-85 to Chicago Sky Tuesday night. Martin returned to the bench in the second half but missed the rest of the game.

As Martin dribbled the ball onto the court near the end of the first quarter, she planted herself near midcourt and tried to spin in the other direction. As she did so, her right leg seemed to give out and her ankle sprained. Martin immediately screamed in pain and clutched her calf.

Teammates quickly gathered around her, clearly concerned, and after a brief consultation with medical staff, she was helped off the court. She limped toward the locker room, putting a little weight on her right leg.

Martin in Iowa Caitlin Clarkand helped the Eagles reach consecutive national championship games the past two seasons. She entered the 2024 WNBA draft to support Clark, who was the No. 1 pick, and eventually was selected at No. 18 herself.

Entering training camp, Martin seemed an unlikely candidate to make the Aces’ final roster. Months later, she’s become a regular in the Aces’ rotation for the back-to-back championship team. Entering Tuesday’s game, she was averaging 3.6 points, 2 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 39.6 percent from 3-point range.

Martin’s absence will be a huge blow to the Aces considering how thin their bench is. She ranks seventh on the team in total points, despite having only 79 points all season as of Tuesday, which shows how thin their bench has been for much of the season. The Aces’ bench ranks 10th in the league in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, Tiffany Hayesthe other substitutes scored in double digits in a total of seven games.