Today, a headline caught my attention while scrolling Reddit — an article about Connecticut Sun guard Marina Mabrey finally speaking on that shove of Caitlin Clark.
If you’ve been following the WNBA this season, you know exactly the moment I’m talking about. It happened June 17 during the Fever–Sun game. In the third quarter, Fever rookie star Caitlin Clark was poked in the eye by Sun guard Jacy Sheldon while Sheldon was playing defense. That led to a brief scuffle between Clark and Sheldon — and then, seemingly out of nowhere, Mabrey came in and shoved Clark to the ground.
It instantly became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2025 WNBA season, sparking weeks of debate about how Clark is treated by other players in the league. Many fans argued that Mabrey should have been ejected along with others involved, like Jacy Sheldon and Tina Charles.
At the time, Mabrey didn’t say much — other than an infamous Instagram Live moment where she joked about the incident. But now, nearly two months later, she’s speaking publicly in an August 10 interview with Mark Medina.
Mabrey’s Side of the Story
In the interview, Mabrey claimed that she thought shove was upgraded to a flagrant foul because of how fans reacted.
“They gave me a tech for it initially. I don’t care. Honestly, I really don’t. Obviously, I’m not trying to hurt anyone. I’m not trying to go after certain players for certain [stuff].”
She also insisted that she and Caitlin Clark were “cool,” recalling past matchups where Clark had thrown her into the benches during the playoffs without any lingering hard feelings. Mabrey said she “probably overreacted a little bit” but was protecting her teammates.
The History Between Mabrey and Clark
For many fans, Mabrey’s explanation rings hollow because this isn’t the first time she’s mocked or taken shots at Clark. Last season, after DiJonai Carrington poked Clark in the eye during the playoffs, Mabrey was caught on camera making fun of it from the sideline.
Since joining Connecticut, Mabrey’s confrontations with Clark have seemed to escalate — from verbal jabs to physical plays. The June 17 shove wasn’t an isolated moment; it felt like the culmination of ongoing tension.
A Pattern of Targeting?
Whether or not Mabrey wants to admit it, Caitlin Clark has faced targeted physicality from multiple players since entering the league. From Chennedy Carter’s hard foul to Brittney Griner’s near clothesline, Clark has been on the receiving end of some rough treatment — and Sophie Cunningham even admitted teams had game-planned for how to “welcome” Clark to the WNBA.
In the Connecticut matchup after the shove, Jacy Sheldon reportedly used similar tactics again, even attempting a groin shot. That was also the game Clark suffered an injury that has kept her sidelined since.
Why Speak Now?
Two months later, Mabrey’s comments feel less like genuine reflection and more like image control. If she truly felt misunderstood, why not address it in the postgame presser back in June? Why wait until August — and only after the public outrage had cooled — to share her version?
For many fans, this belated explanation isn’t enough to erase the perception of Mabrey as one of the league’s dirtier players. Actions speak louder than interviews, and we’ll see just how “cool” things really are when the Fever face the Sun again — possibly with Clark back in the lineup.
Because if Jacy Sheldon isn’t there to guard her this time, will Mabrey step up for that assignment? And if so, will it be clean competition… or more of the same?