One of the most anticipated matchups this week has been the showdown between the Dallas Wings and the Connecticut Sun. And let’s be honest, everyone was curious to see which of these bottom-ranked teams would come out on top. Especially with Paige Bueckers and co. averaging 81.5 points per game, just 6.3 points shy of what the Sun typically allows. And for Bueckers, the stakes were sky-high. A win here wasn’t just about bragging rights, it had the potential to shift momentum and give the Wings a much-needed climb in the standings – something she’s been made to carry on her back as the #1 pick.

So yeah, the hype was real. And it didn’t take long for that energy to spill onto the court. As the teams stepped into Mohegan Sun Arena, what was supposed to be a Sun victory started leaning heavily into upset territory. The Wings came out swinging, building a 14-point lead by halftime and flipping the narrative entirely. And just when the Sun was under mounting pressure to respond, disaster struck. They lost a crucial piece of their lineup, and everything started to unravel.

How did Marina Mabrey get injured at a crucial moment?

It all came just before halftime when Sun’s guard Marina Mabrey was seen suddenly slowing down, stopping gingerly on the court before limping off to the locker room. At first, it wasn’t clear exactly when or how she got hurt, but replays later showed a moment of contact with Paige Bueckers that might’ve caused the injury.

Soon after, the team confirmed that Mabrey had suffered a left knee injury and was listed as questionable to return. That alone was enough to worry Sun fans, given Mabrey’s value to the team. But not long after the halftime break ended, there was a sigh of relief across the stands.

Because Sun’s #3 was back out on the court, lacing up and ready to battle through the pain to start the second half. And honestly, it made perfect sense why she’d push through. She currently leads the Sun in both scoring and assists, averaging 15.8 points and 3.8 assists per game. But it’s not just that, she’s also their most consistent perimeter threat, knocking down 2.4 three-pointers per game, the most on the roster.

So you know why her presence was important, and as the second half progressed and the Sun began closing in on the Wings’ lead, it was clear Mabrey wasn’t just out there for show. She was making an impact, and by the time the fourth quarter opened, the Sun had trimmed the deficit to 75–79, showing they weren’t going down without a fight.

The 2025 season hasn’t been smooth for Marina Mabrey!

Well, this isn’t the first time Marina Mabrey’s dealt with injuries. Just like the rest of the league, she’s had her fair share of bad luck with the injury bug. In fact, it’s been a recurring theme for her. It all started during the WNBA semifinals against the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5, when Mabrey twisted her ankle with about 8:22 left in the second quarter.

She had to exit the game briefly, but being the tough competitor she is, she returned by halftime and still managed to drop eight points in just 14 minutes. Her grit didn’t go unnoticed either, as Sun head coach Stephanie White praised her, saying, “She’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever been around.”

Still, the injury, though initially minor, limited her minutes for the rest of the game. And while the Sun were eventually knocked out of the semifinals, it gave Mabrey some much-needed time to recover. Once she started training again in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, she suffered a right calf strain that required an MRI at Mount Sinai.

The results confirmed the strain, ruling her out for at least two weeks, with a follow-up scheduled in 2–4 weeks. Mabrey ended up playing only three games before sitting out the rest of January. Then, she made her regular-season debut for the Connecticut Sun, looking sharp, and for a while, everything seemed to be back on track, until now.

For Mabrey, her first notable setback came during the 2021–22 WNBL season with the Perth Lynx, where she missed multiple games due to foot discomfort. At one point, she had to pull out of a game in Bendigo after scans showed inflammation. And while there was no structural damage, it still forced her to wear a moon boot for recovery.

Then, during the 2023 WNBA season with the Chicago Sky, Mabrey appeared to land awkwardly in a game versus the Seattle Storm and didn’t return after halftime due to what was described as a minor leg issue or cramp. Though she didn’t miss any games after that, it added to her growing list of close calls.

So yeah, Mabrey’s been through a lot. But don’t mistake that for weakness, as she’s always battled through the pain. In fact, that’s part of why the Sun wasn’t willing to let her go, even when she asked to be put on the trade block. Well, Sun’s former guard Alyssa Thomas summed it up best: “She’s a dawg… We need three‑point shooting, and that’s her specialty.” That fire and competitive edge is exactly what’s helped shape the Sun’s identity. And now, Mabrey’s proving just how dominant she can be.