On the last day of WNBA play before a break for the All-Star game and the Summer Olympics, the Connecticut Sun pushed all their chips to the middle of the table with a trade for Marina Mabrey.
The second place Sun (18-6) seemed to already be in a position to contend, but on Monday lost 82-74 to the New York Liberty. Against the two squads that played for the WNBA title last year – New York and the Las Vegas Aves – the Sun are now 2-13 against them over the past two seasons. When it came to playing against the best-of-the-best in the WNBA, something was often missing for Connecticut.
In that recent loss to the Liberty, one area of the box score jumps out: The Sun shot just 2-of-18 from 3-point land. As a team so far this season, Connecticut is third from the bottom in the league in 3-point shooting, making just 31.4% of their shots from behind the arc. And the Sun were second-to-last in percentage of points scored from 3-point range with a 20.8 percent mark.
Simply put, the Sun needed a reliable and consistent 3-point shooter to be considered a legitimate contender for the league title.
So, they went out and got one.
Marina Mabrey trade is latest win for Connecticut Sun
The Sun sent Rachel Banham, Moriah Jefferson, a 2025 first-round pick, and the right to a pick swap in 2026 for Marina Mabrey and a second-round pick. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Mabrey – who was the Sky’s leading scorer – had requested a trade.
Indeed, the cost for Mabrey was high, but the Sun didn’t give up any starters in the deal and got one in return. This likely means that Mabrey – a 27-year-old product of Notre Dame – will likely come off the bench. The Sun’s starting five of Tyasha Harris, DiJonai Carrington, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones has been more than solid this season, playing 336 minutes together and generating a net rating of +10.6, according to HerHoopStats.
So now, the Sun will be able to bring in a player off the bench who not only makes 3-pointers at a good rate, but likes taking them too. Mabrey is seventh in the WNBA this season in both 3-point attempts (6.7) and makes (2.3) per game – both stats she has finished in the top 10 of the league in three of the previous four seasons. For her career, Mabrey is a 35.9 percent 3-point shooter.
Mabrey is also playing some of her best all-around basketball right now. In addition to averaging 14 points per game, she’s also posting career-highs in rebounds (4.9) and assists (4.5) per game.
For the Sky, the trade gives them assets going forward as they progress in their rebuild. Banham and Jefferson are both solid veteran players, and a 2025 first-rounder could give Chicago another young player to pair with Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
Meaningful midseason trades have been rare in the WNBA, but there’s plenty of time for more before the Aug. 20 deadline.
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Caitlin Clark grabs another record
The WNBA’s single-game assist record now belongs to Caitlin Clark after the rookie phenom dished out 19 on Tuesday in a loss to the Dallas Wings. Clark also became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach at least 400 points-scored and 200 assists, doing so in 26 games, which is seven games less than the previous record-holder, Sue Bird.
For Clark, 19 assists is the most she’s ever had in a competitive, meaningful game at any level. Her career-high in college at Iowa was 18 assists against Penn State in 2022. Among her highlights on Tuesday was a silky behind-the-back pass to Aliyah Boston on the baseline.
“She’s going to say it means nothing, but I think it’s pretty cool,” Boston said of Clark’s record after the game.
Added Clark: “I just try to set my teammates up for success… I think at times, I can almost over-pass… With AB, I’m just looking to set her up so much. My eyes are just always on our post players… We still didn’t shoot it very well from 3.”
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No 3-point contest for Clark
Despite ranking fifth in the WNBA in 3-pointers made per game with 2.7, Caitlin Clark will not participate in the 3-point shootout this Friday night during WNBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix.
The competition features Marina Mabrey, Mystics’ center Stefanie Dolson, Liberty forward Jonquel Jones, Lynx guard Kayla McBride and Dream guard Allisha Gray.
McBride leads the league in 3-pointers made this season, 76, while Dolson has the second best shooting percentage from beyond the arc at 48.5 percent.
Additionally for All-Star weekend, it was announced that women’s basketball legend Cheryl Miller – a three-time Naismith Player of the Year at USC in the 1980s – will coach the all-stars against Team USA in Sunday’s exhibition.
By Mitchell Northam, Field Level Media
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