It was supposed to be over.
The game was done. The suspension was issued. The fine had been paid.
00:00
00:05
01:31
But Marina Mabrey wasn’t finished.
In a late-night Instagram Live session that’s now going viral, the Chicago Sky guard let loose in a way fans hadn’t seen all season—and the target of her frustration seemed crystal clear: Sophie Cunningham.
“Let’s just say this: you keep barking up the tree, eventually that tree’s gonna bark back,” Mabrey said.
“I took my suspension. But next time? Don’t push it.”
No names were dropped. But everyone watching knew exactly who she meant.
And now, what was once just a physical rivalry on the court has become a digital cold war that could boil over fast.
The Backdrop: What Led to the Suspension
Marina Mabrey was suspended for one game by the WNBA after a review of an off-ball incident during the Fever–Sky matchup, where video appeared to show Mabrey making forceful contact with a Fever player—believed to be Sophie Cunningham—during a screen rotation.
The contact was not called a flagrant in real time
Fever coaches submitted the play for league review
The WNBA ruled it “unnecessary and excessive contact” and issued the one-game suspension + fine
Mabrey sat out the next Sky game. But fans were waiting to hear what she’d say.
They didn’t have to wait long.
The Live Stream: No Filter, No Names, No Doubt
Mabrey went live on Instagram the night her suspension was served.
Wearing a hoodie and sitting in her kitchen, she addressed fan questions for about 12 minutes—until one question hit the chat:
“How you feel about Sophie [Cunningham] playing victim?”
That’s when things got serious.
“Playing victim?” Mabrey repeated, smirking.
“Y’all really think that’s what that was? I’ve been in this league too long to fall for that type of mess.”
She went on:
“You hit me, you push me, and I push back—and suddenly I’m the one out a game?
Cool. Bet. But just remember: next time I won’t miss.”
Fans React: “This Just Got Personal”
The clip was immediately reposted by @WNBAClips, @SheKnowsSports, and other fan pages. Within hours:
#MabreyLive
#SophieVsMarina
#KeepTheSameEnergy
…were all trending.
“She basically said she’s coming for Sophie,” one fan tweeted.
“This is beyond basketball now. This is turning into a full-on feud,” said another.
Even non-WNBA fans tuned in for the drama.
Sophie Cunningham Responds… Subtly
Cunningham didn’t name Mabrey in return.
But just hours after the Instagram Live ended, Sophie posted an IG story from the gym with the caption:
“Bark louder. I’m still getting buckets.”
She added a winking emoji. That’s it.
To her fans? That was the clapback they were hoping for.
“Sophie’s playing chess. Let Mabrey bark,” one comment read.
WNBA’s Dilemma: What Happens If This Escalates?
As of now, the league has not commented on Mabrey’s Live session.
But insiders say they’re monitoring the “ongoing tension between players on and off the court,” and are ready to intervene again if lines are crossed.
“They’re trying to grow the brand,” one league official told SYK.
“They can’t afford public beefs to overshadow the game.”
Yet at the same time, this drama is what’s driving views.
“Everyone’s watching now—not just for the basketball, but for the next move,” said sports marketing strategist Jay Grant.
“That’s uncomfortable—but very real.”
Clark at the Center Again
Once again, even though she’s said nothing, Caitlin Clark is at the center of the storm.
Fans believe Cunningham’s increasingly protective stance toward Clark is what triggered Mabrey’s targeting—and the online shade that followed.
“This is retaliation for Sophie defending Caitlin, plain and simple,” one Reddit user wrote.
Others argued:
“Caitlin’s playing great. Let her be. This drama is making it about everyone but her.”
Media Reaction: Split and Spinning
Fox Sports’ Jason Whitlock:
“Marina Mabrey just declared war. That wasn’t an opinion. That was a warning.”
ESPN’s Monica McNutt:
“She’s emotional. That’s okay. But we have to be careful not to turn intensity into intimidation.”
Stephen A. Smith:
“This is the WNBA’s test moment. Do you want rivalries or do you want respect?”
Inside the Locker Rooms: Both Teams on Alert
According to insiders from both the Sky and the Fever, players are being told to “keep it professional” moving forward—especially when the teams meet again later this season.
“There’s a real chance this blows up,” one Fever staffer said.
“The league has warned both sides.”
Still, some teammates reportedly love it.
“This is what competitors do,” said one Fever player anonymously.
“You think nobody threw elbows back when Diana Taurasi was cooking? Please.”
What’s Next?
The Sky and Fever are scheduled to meet again in two weeks.
All eyes will be on Mabrey and Cunningham
League officials may assign senior refs to the game
Players are expected to be “closely monitored” during warmups and timeouts
In other words?
It’s already a marquee matchup—and it hasn’t even started yet.
Final Thoughts: Talk Is Loud. But So Is the Game.
Marina Mabrey isn’t apologizing.
Sophie Cunningham isn’t retreating.
And the WNBA isn’t ignoring it.
Whether this is petty drama or serious beef—it’s happening in real time.
And in the league’s most-watched season ever, the story isn’t just about who scores.
It’s about who swings, who speaks, and who answers next.
