The 2026 WNBA season is just around the corner, and while the league continues to expand at a rapid pace, some familiar names are still making headlines during final roster cuts. One such name is former Iowa star Kate Martin, whose recent departure from the Golden State Valkyries has sparked an unexpected controversy—this time involving South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley.

Martin has built a solid reputation in the WNBA, carrying significant name recognition from her standout days alongside Caitlin Clark at Iowa. She managed to carve out meaningful roles with both the Las Vegas Aces and the Golden State Valkyries, earning a loyal fan base that follows her wherever she goes.

However, this season, Martin was the final cut from the Valkyries' roster. As detailed in a post by Matt Lively of CBS affiliate KPIX in the Bay Area, the decision was agonizing, with three players competing for just two spots. Despite Martin's passionate following, she was ultimately left out in favor of UConn alum Kaitlyn Chen and former first-round pick Laeticia Amihere from South Carolina. Lively's tweet noted, "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."

What seemed like a straightforward update quickly drew fire from Dawn Staley. The Gamecocks coach called out Lively for using the names of other players—particularly her former player Amihere—in the context of Martin's departure. Staley tweeted, "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."

Staley's comments sparked significant pushback across social media, with many arguing she was unfairly framing Lively as biased in his reporting. Critics pointed out that Lively was simply covering the roster decisions as they happened, not rooting for or against any particular player. The incident highlights the intense emotions and high stakes surrounding WNBA roster cuts, especially as the league continues to grow and attract new talent. For fans and players alike, every decision carries weight—and sometimes, even a simple update can ignite a firestorm.