Valkyries’ Kate Martin takes step toward becoming rotation regular with career night against Lynx

SAN FRANCISCO — Through the Golden State Valkyries’ first five games of the season, second-year guard Kate Martin struggled to find her role with the expansion team. 

She was thrust into the starting lineup on opening night because of injuries and shooting struggles kept her out of coach Natalie Nakase’s regular rotation for the last four games.

Martin, the team’s most popular player after her college years alongside Caitlin Clark at Iowa, played sparingly on the Valkyries’ three-game...