Before Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin were in the WNBA, they were teammates at Iowa playing college basketball. As the pair has moved on the professional ranks, they’ve remained friends even as they face off against each other now as opponents.

The first meeting between Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin this season comes on Thursday as the Fever travel to The Bay for a matchup against the Valkyries. Before the game, Clark hilariously attempted to block Martin’s shot as she was getting in pregame warmups.

While the Fever are looking to win their third consecutive game, the Valkyries will be looking to get back in the win column after having their three-game win streak snapped by the Dallas Wings on Tuesday. The Fever were expected to be a playoff team again this season, but the Valkyries have surprised many and are mounting a playoff challenge of their own.

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Clark and Martin were both in the 2024 WNBA Draft, with Clark being selected No. 1 overall by the Fever and Martin being taken at No. 18 by the Las Vegas Aces. But while there was absolutely zero doubt that Clark would be the No. 1 overall pick, Martin’s WNBA future was much less certain. In fact, Martin was at the draft in support of Clark, when she heard her own name being called.

Martin only played one season for the Aces before the Valkyries selected her in the expansion draft ahead of this season. As both players’ careers progress, it’s probably safe to say that they’ll be forever intwined with one another.

Clark’s game against the Valkyries will be only her third since returning from a quad injury. She helped lead the Fever to an impressive win against the defending champion New York Liberty in her return, then powered through a win against the Connecticut Sun that was recognized more for the antics than the actual game.