Dawn Staley has never been one to shy away from standing up for her players, and this time, she's calling out what she sees as unfair reporting. The South Carolina Gamecocks head coach, known for her fierce loyalty and protective nature—she once went to great lengths to rescue three former players trapped in a warzone—has taken issue with a CBS Sports reporter's comments about the Golden State Valkyries' decision to waive Kate Martin.
Roster cuts are always tough, but few expected the Valkyries to part ways with fan favorite Kate Martin just before the 2026 season. The news sent shockwaves through the WNBA community, sparking heated debates online. Bay Area CBS reporter Matt Lively weighed in, tweeting, "Kate Martin is the final cut from the Valkyries. They opt to keep Kaitlyn Chen and Laeticia Amihere over Martin. The move makes sense in terms of need, but Martin is an incredibly popular player with a fan base that shows up in every city."
Staley, however, saw a problem with how Lively framed his analysis. She fired back, writing, "Not cool to actually use other players' names, specifically Laeticia Amihere for your personal preface. I hope if you cover the Valkyries, you can unbiasedly do so moving forward." For Staley, the issue wasn't about the roster decision itself—it was about dragging a former player's name into a narrative that could be seen as critical of the team's choice.
Context matters here. Laeticia Amihere, who played four years under Staley at South Carolina before being drafted in 2023, is a key piece for the Valkyries this season. With French center Iliana Rupert out due to pregnancy for most of the year, Amihere's presence in the frontcourt has become even more critical. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn Chen serves as the only backup to starting point guard Veronica Burton—a role Martin couldn't fill. Add in the fact that Martin suffered a quad strain during training camp and was on an unprotected contract, and the decision starts to make more sense from a roster-construction standpoint.
Still, Martin's popularity is undeniable. As Caitlin Clark's former teammate at Iowa, she brought a passionate fanbase with her to the pros and was a solid contributor during last year's playoff run, averaging 6.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, and an assist per game. Amihere, for her part, put up 5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, making the choice less about talent and more about team needs.
In the end, Staley's message was clear: respect the players who make these teams work, and leave the bias out of your reporting. It's a reminder that behind every roster move, there are real people—and a coach who will always have their back.