Iyana Martin’s decision to delay joining the Portland Fire and focus on the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup is giving Spain exactly the kind of boost it hoped for. With Martin helping drive the run, Spain is through to the semi-finals and will face the USA next.
The choice, made last spring, meant Martin put her WNBA move on hold for one more international window. It was a notable call for a player who already has a strong résumé: she won MVP at the 2023 U19 World Cup and added a silver medal in her maiden EuroBasket Women last year. Instead of moving immediately to Portland Fire, she chose to keep building with La Roja on the biggest stage available before her WNBA arrival.
Martin’s impact has shown up in the numbers
Through the tournament, Martin has given Spain a steady scoring and playmaking presence. In 22 minutes per game, she has averaged 17.3 points while shooting 56/43/90. She has also added 3 assists and 1.7 steals per game, though the aggressive style has come with 3 turnovers per game as well.
That production has been valuable for Spain as it continues a return to the tournament spotlight. The team had appeared in every FIBA Women’s World Cup edition since 1990 until missing the 2022 event, a surprising break for a country that has usually been in the mix as a regular medal contender. Now, with Martin helping lead the way, Spain is back in the semi-final stage and one win away from another chance at gold.
What it means for Spain and Portland Fire
For Spain, Martin’s decision is an obvious short-term win. She arrived with high-level international experience, and the payoff has been immediate in a tournament run that has carried La Roja into a matchup with the USA.
For Portland Fire, the move simply shifts the timeline. Martin is still headed to the WNBA, but Spain is getting the benefit of her current form first. That is often the tradeoff when a young star chooses a major international tournament over an early arrival with her new club. In this case, the decision has helped Spain, and it has helped Martin reinforce why she is already such an important player.
The next step is clear enough now. Spain has a semi-final ahead, Martin has another chance to shape the tournament, and the Portland Fire will wait a little longer for a player who is showing why the delay mattered.
