Marina Mabrey Throws Subtle Shade at Chicago Sky Amid Connecticut Sun Praise
Marina Mabrey was an integral part of the Connecticut Sun being one game away from advancing to the 2024 WNBA Finals.
While the Sun ultimately came up short against the Minnesota Lynx, it was not because of Mabrey. Her steady three-point shooting and offensive skillset was a major difference maker down the stretch for Connecticut.
Of course, Mabrey didn't start the season with Connecticut. She was a member of the Chicago Sky before getting traded a few days before the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game.
A July 19 article from the Chicago Sun-Times' Annie Costabile revealed that Mabrey had requested a trade out of Chicago after being unhappy with, "the role, position, everything that you were originally planning on being in".
Mabrey also made waves when she took a thinly-veiled shot at the Sky during WNBA All-Star Game media, saying, "[I'm excited to] be on a championship team or someone that can compete for a championship," when asked about being traded to Connecticut. "That's gonna be something I'm not used to. I've never been in an environment like that, so I'm excited."
Guess that stat padding in a game that was already over was the last straw. pic.twitter.com/894LTV4vWT
— BJ 🎞️ (@fettyfilm) July 19, 2024
Now Mabrey seems to have thrown another subtle dig at Chicago during her Sun exit interview on Thursday.
When Mabrey was asked what makes Connecticut different from other teams she has played for, Mabrey said, "There's a level of discipline and a level of professionality here where the players just have to worry about playing basketball... the players here are very experienced, and they want to keep a good environment, and they make sure that they hold people accountable for that," per SN Nation's Noa Dalzell.
"When I was in Dallas in my first year, we were all like 21, trying to figure it out," Mabrey continued. "And I thought towards the end of that season, we played really well too. So obviously, all of these franchises that I've played for have great qualities."
Marina Mabrey reflected on what makes Connecticut different from other places she's been:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) October 10, 2024
"There's a level of discipline and a level of professionality here where the players just have to worry about playing basketball... the players here are very experienced, and they want to…
While Mabrey didn't say it directly, she seems to be alluding to a lack of professionalism within the Sky franchise.
Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.