Marina Mabrey has never hidden how she plays the game. That reputation followed her into Unrivaled on opening night, where the Lunar Owls opened their second season against Rose BC, and a physical exchange quickly put Mabrey back in the spotlight. For some fans, it felt like familiar fire. But for others, it reopened the same conversation that has trailed Mabrey for years.

Rose was dominating the game in the first quarter. In a quarter where Rose led by 25-7, 10 points and 7 rebounds came from Azurá Stevens. Shakira Austin added eight points, and Chelsea Gray chipped in with 4. Owls were struggling, going 4-of-14 from the field and 0-of-5 from the 3-point line. Mabrey remained scoreless in the first, and tensions boiled over in the second.

When Rose led 52-24 with 29.8 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Mabrey was bringing the ball up the court. Sug Sutton approached Mabrey from behind and tried to reach, making plenty of contact in the process. A frustrated Mabrey shoved Sutton and was pushed back by Sutton and Shakira Austin. After this skirmish, a common foul was called on Sutton, while Mabrey, Sutton, and Austin were all assessed technical fouls.

Known for her sharp shooting and physical defense, Mabrey has long played with visible intensity, dating back to her college days at Notre Dame and into her WNBA career.  But this confrontation still had a mixed reaction from the fans, as some pointed out a pattern, while some enjoyed it as entertainment on opening day. 

Marina Mabrey–Sug Sutton Clash Divides Fans

“I love me some Marina 😂😂😂,” wrote a fan. “Gotta have a Mabrey squabble.. XD,” followed another. Some fans love the negativity. One perspective is that she is among the most passionate players in the league, which brings out that competitive edge. Her behaviour just adds to the stakes and raises the bar of the game. It also reads as authentic and without any filter. In a world where each athlete is media-trained and conscious, it is refreshing to see someone show their emotions publicly. However, not everyone looks at the game from that view. 

The Indiana Fever-Connecticut Sun incident is now carved in history. In an immensely physical game, Sheldon poked Clark in the eye, and Clark pushed back. Looking at her teammate getting into a scuffle, Mabrey barged Clark to the ground. Sheldon was originally called for a common foul that was upgraded to a flagrant 1 after review.

The same went for Mabrey, whose knock was upgraded to flagrant 2 after the game. As the game went on, the intensity rose, and a frustrated Cunningham tackled Sheldon to the ground when the game was coming to a close. It led to a brawl, with Cunningham, Sheldon, and Lindsay Allen being ejected. However, for Mabrey, her history goes beyond this incident. 

“Marina Mabrey aka Crashout Shawty is up to her old tricks at #Unrivaled,” wrote another fan. Mabrey now has a reputation for such incidents. This season against the Washington Mystics, things heated up when Mystics center Shakira Austin gave a shove to Sun rookie Kariata Diaby. Mabrey immediately ran up to Austin in defense of her rookie teammate. 

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Mabrey placed her hands on Austin, presumably with a few choice words about the shove. Austin pushed back, and it led to both getting technicals. She has had such incidents internationally and against players like DiJonai Carrington. It further draws criticism when Mabrey isn’t doing well on the court. 

“Marina does a lotta antics, not enough consistent hoopin, she was like 8/22,” commented another fan.  Marina Mabrey put up 21 points, but the inefficient 8-of-22 shooting underscored why some fans questioned her on-court impact. She did get 9 assists and 8 rebounds, but the team was blown out 80-60. Possibly, if the performance was on the flip side, she could have gotten less criticism. The performance factor affects how fans see each moment of the game. 

“I just think that it’s one thing to be losing and another thing to, like, not let people like punk you be laughing like doing anything. So I think sometimes you need to do certain things to kind of get your team going, or maybe send a message even when you are losing by a lot,” Mabrey said after the game. 

While this was in the context of sending an internal message, it can also be an explanation of why she is combative in such a situation. Mabrey does not want her opponents to take things lightly. Ultimately, how you look at it depends on what your alignment is. Supporters see her as an enforcer who won’t let teammates get bullied. Critics see her as an instigator who escalates situations unnecessarily.