The Connecticut Sun players faced significant backlash from WNBA fans after being physical on the court against their opponents. Marina Mabrey also came under fire for her infamous shoving act on Caitlin Clark.
In the off-season, too, fans targeted Mabrey after her heated clash with Rickea Jackson in an Unrivaled game. The star then came out with a brilliant plan, which actually improved her as a player, too.
Marina Mabrey Moving In Right Direction With Her Aggression
Mabrey introduced a crash-out jar to avoid making silly mistakes in the flow of emotions. She even pointed out that her competitive spirit drives her in such instances, and now the jar will control her emotions.
Incidentally, she not only kept her cool after the introduction of the jar, but she also enjoyed her game more, and fans’ reactions also fueled her to do better on the court.
the crowd tries to bait Marina into a crashout, but she keeps her composure 😭 pic.twitter.com/fIK1KyAid7
— Myles (@MylesEhrlich) January 31, 2026
After the introduction of the ‘punishment’, she learned to have a more measured way of reacting. Her reactions fuel her game. She added self-talk as part of her calming process, which encouraged her on the floor and helped her to deliver. Her mindset is now different and restoring the competitiveness to push for better performance rather than wasting on the ‘crash out’.
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She said the idea was suggested by Brittainy Rivers, the sister-in-law of Sun teammate Saniya Rivers, who pulled her aside after a game and encouraged her to reflect on how she expresses her emotions.
The crash-out jar was not the only positive thing that happened to the 29-year-old guard. She set a record and received a huge surprise from her Sun teammate.
Saniya Rivers Surprises Marina Mabrey For Her Massive Game
The Unrivaled’s move to Philadelphia set two massive records on the day. First, the league set a record for the highest ever attendance in women’s basketball, and second, the veteran guard set a record for the most points in a single game, dropping 47 points on the night.
Saniya Rivers surprised her with special celebratory decorations in the room, with the number 47-shaped balloon, and also many eateries.
Saniya Rivers mostly attends the Unrivaled games to support her teammate and was happy for her individual success in the league.