Sun's Marina Mabrey suffers injury ahead of Unrivaled Basketball's season
01/16/2025 07:12 PM
Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey sustained a right calf injury just days before the start of Unrivaled Basketball's inaugural season. Mabrey will undergo an MRI to assess the severity of the injury, with an initial return-to-play timeline estimated at 2-4 weeks, per Sara Jane Gamelli of Ballislife.
The injury comes at an unfortunate time as Unrivaled, the highly anticipated 3-on-3 women's basketball league, is set to tip off on Friday in Miami. Mabrey's status will be reevaluated following her MRI, and her availability for the early part of the season remains uncertain.
Unrivaled, co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, aims to provide a domestic alternative for WNBA players during the offseason. Unrivaled’s unique format features six teams — Laces, Mist, Rose, Lunar Owls, Phantom and Vinyl — each composed of top-tier talent from across the league such as Chicago Sky's Angel Reese and New York Liberty's Sabrina Ionescu.
Mabrey's injury adds an unexpected challenge for Phantom, the team she was slated to play for. Other notable participants in Unrivaled include Phoenix Mercury's Brittney Griner, and Dallas Wings' Arike Ogunbowale.
The league, designed to showcase an up-tempo and competitive style of play, will take place at a dedicated facility in Miami. It promises not only top-level competition but also groundbreaking player benefits, including competitive salaries and equity ownership shares, a first in professional women's basketball.
This injury comes at a critical moment for Mabrey, who was looking to build on her momentum from the upcoming WNBA season. The Sun made it to the WNBA Semifinals last season. The Sun guard's absence will be felt in the early stages of Unrivaled's season, though she is expected to make a return depending on her recovery progress.
As the league launches, fans eagerly await the debut of this innovative basketball format, which will be broadcast nationally on TNT.
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