Kate Martin has revealed that she is still close with her WNBA player Caitlin Clark, with the former Iowa star duo keeping a close eye on each other through a special pre-match routine in the league.
Speaking to reporters ahead of her second regular-season game against her former college teammate, Clark admitted she and Martin needed to up their game when it came to an off-court tradition: game tunnel outfits.
Several players, including Martin and Clark’s teammates Kelsey Plum and Lexie Hall, have stepped into the spotlight this season with their pre-match outfits, helping to keep the league’s popularity on the rise.
“We’re always sending each other pictures and thinking, ‘Wait, do you like this outfit?'” Martin said of her interactions with Clark these days.
“That’s a fun part about the WNBA. We were both nervous (at the beginning of the season) like, ‘What are we going to wear? We always just wear sweatpants!'”
Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin greet each other on the court in May for Fever-Aces in Las Vegas
In May, Clark said of her style evolution, “I think it’s fun. Honestly, I try to switch it up… A little bit of what I’m wearing and what I’m doing, whether it’s a little more casual or a little more dressy.
“I think you’ll see a change as the season goes on.”
The Indiana Fever point guard agreed with Martin, saying that fashion is important to the players. He also said that dressing for WNBA games is “a little different” than college games because the spotlight is on the players from the moment they enter the arena.
“I normally show up in my sweatpants and flip-flops, so…” Clark said.
“But it was fun and hopefully it just keeps getting better,” she continued, referring to her outfits during her debut season in the WNBA.
Clark has led the Fever to a 2-2 record on foreign soil and will face the reigning champions in the team’s fifth straight away game.
On the court, however, the focus is on a different kind of competition, as Clark and her teammates will attempt to finish above .500 during their five-game road trip when the Fever take on the host Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night.
Indiana (8-12) had won four straight games before losing to the Chicago Sky on June 23 and to the Seattle Storm on Thursday. However, the Fever improved to 2-2 on the road with an 88-82 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday, nearly getting a triple-double from their star.
Clark finished with 15 points despite hitting just 2 of 10 three-pointers.
She also had nine rebounds and 12 assists and was one of five Indiana players to score in double figures, a group that also included NaLyssa Smith (12 points, 15 rebounds).