Marina Mabrey is facing renewed attention following a controversial on-court incident with Caitlin Clark as the Connecticut Sun player was all smiles with Paige Bueckers, despite refusing to apologize to the Indiana Fever guard.
The 28-year-old’s foul on Clark on June 18, which was later upgraded to a flagrant incident, has sparked debate not only for the physicality involved in the WNBA when it comes to stopping the talented Fever ace.
A scuffle that began when Mabrey’s teammate, Jacy Sheldon, poked Clark in the eye. As ex-Iowa Hawkeyes player reacted, Mabrey intervened, shoving her to the floor – clearly an excessive use of force.
Now she’s back under the microscope for the contrast in how she appears to treat different players, particularly the latest rising star of the league, the Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers.
A photo of her sharing a lighthearted moment with Bueckers, captured smiling and chatting following a recent matchup, hasn’t gone unnoticed as fans question her change in tone between the days.
One user commented online, “When you pose no threat there is no need for envy.”
A second said, “They sure AF didn’t have the same intensity on defense.”
And a third noted, “I’m not sure Marina Mabrey is the ‘friend you want to support you’ measuring stick you think it is.”
Mabrey refuses to apologise to Clark
So, there is a suggestion that Mabrey’s reaction to Indiana’s Clark was motivated by competitiveness rather than pure hostility, although that doesn’t hold up when looking at results.
Marina’s incident with Clark came as the Fever were cruising towards victory against the Sun, set to improve their record in the Eastern Conference to 6-5 on the night in an 88-71 triumph.
The two teams aren’t competing this season considering the Sun were 2-9 at the time. However, Bueckers’ Wings were within reach as they held the same record prior to their clash on June 20.
And it was Paige who won out as Dallas left the Mohegan Sun Arena triumphant in a tight 86-83 contest that offered Connecticut a chance to breathe life back into their season.
Now holding the out-right worst record in the WNBA, Mabrey should not have been all smiles and laughs if she was truly competitive and disappointed about losing a very winnable game. It appears to be personal, especially considering she refused to say sorry.
“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” was Marina’s response when a fan asked her about the foul on Clark at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, suggesting a lack of sympathy and remorse to one of her peers.
The situation adds a new layer to the WNBA’s growing intensity this season, a campaign that threatens to be overshadowed by controversy rather than the talented efforts of the likes of Bueckers and Clark.
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