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Marina Mabrey’s game has always been more Xs and Os than exes and ohs! At just 22, when most people were busy navigating awkward dating apps and college crushes, she was out winning an NCAA championship with Notre Dame. Fast forward six years, and she’s still locked in. She’s currently 28 years old, 5’11”, and made of straight-up basketball IQ. But even after being six seasons deep in the WNBA grind, not everything’s a perfect fit for her.

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Word is that she’s not exactly thrilled repping the Connecticut Sun these days. As the “face of the franchise,” she’s making it work, though. Maybe it’s the presence of a certain teammate keeping things balanced for her. Because as much as Mabrey likes to keep things close to the vest, fans can’t help but wonder… is this sharp-edged, analytical Virgo quietly vibing with a dreamy Pisces behind the scenes?

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Is Marina Mabrey Dating Anyone?

As of July 2025, there hasn’t been a single public record of Marina Mabrey’s dating life. Hard as it may have been, she has successfully managed to dodge both the paparazzi’s lenses and fans’ eager eyes. And nope, she has never dropped a soft launch on her socials either (no shade to a certain Paige-and-Azzi situation).

Throughout these years, Marina has kept her feed strictly hoops. This low-key personality probably stems from the same place she draws her strength from, her family. Marina has often credited her sisters, Michaela and Dara, for keeping her grounded, focused, and unapologetically herself.

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Rumored Relationships and Speculation

The more they hide and keep it low, the more the whispers start to grow. In Marina Mabrey’s case, is it any different? Umm, no. The first ever speculation for Mabrey came when she moved from the Chicago Sky to the Connecticut Sun. Fans quickly started piecing some theories together.

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Some people suggested that her 2024 exit had something to do with a fallout (possibly romantic) with the former teammate Chennedy Carter. But Marina shut that down real fast. She made it absolutely clear that there was no behind-the-scenes drama that fueled this trade. Although little did anyone expect that the trade would spark even bigger rumors. And this time, they come with a whole lot of evidence. Maria Mabrey’s rookie teammate, Saniya Rivers, seems to be really close to her. People have spotted the two being cute together multiple times.

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The most recent sighting came when they were both a few feet inside the water, chilling in the pool together. In the clip that practically broke WNBA TikTok, Marina Mabrey was visible from the neck up. She was clinging to the pool edge while Rivers was floating behind her. It turned into a full-blown viral moment when fans noticed… her feet. Yep, in the air. It meant that Rivers was visibly putting her weight on Marina’s back.

Another cute moment was when the two booked a private hip-hop class in NYC. And let’s just say… fun (and cuteness) ensued. “Marina already struggles with just doing small dances,” Rivers laughed, “so doing the whole choreography, I was actually surprised. I was pleased that she did pretty good.” Then, with Rivers cheering Mabrey up, “You got it, you got it!,” the teammates danced through their off-day and straight into fans’ hearts.

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Apart from the fun, the two lovely women have also been each other’s anchor during tough times. Like Rivers has been the reason why Marina is able to adjust in a franchise she doesn’t want to be a part of. The support goes both ways, though. It showed when Saniya Rivers lost her mother on 30th April, just a while after the Sun drafted her into W. That was the time when Marina Mabrey stepped up and helped her deal with the devastating loss.

“We’re like best friends. We hang out every day and do everything together,” Rivers said. “It’s honestly been such a blessing for me, because obviously losing my mom, I felt like I lost a piece of me, and Marina is really just replenishing that and filling in those shoes … People see us dance and her having two left feet. And Marina is hilarious, but she’s also soft. She has a big heart, and she’s a sensitive person. Like, when I have my cries, we cry together.”

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So, with such support from both ends, it makes sense why the two have worn matching Sox jerseys together, kept each other warm and even swapped outfits while live streaming. However, all of those moments could easily pass for two genuinely close best friends who simply love being around each other. And while Rivers has openly shared that she’s part of the LGBTQ+ community, Mabrey hasn’t made any such statement.

So, whether it’s just a deep friendship or something a little more? Only time will tell, and stay tuned for when that happens.

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Written by

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Shourima Mishra

470 Articles

Shourima Mishra is a Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports, recruited through the outlet’s Young Talent Hunt to join the fast-paced WNBA desk. With a knack for decoding coaching systems and the rhythm of in-game adjustments, she reports on how strategy and chemistry shape outcomes beyond the scoreboard. Her work stands out for its clear editorial sharpness, honed in a digital-first newsroom where speed and precision walk hand in hand. Before stepping into sports journalism, Shourima built her voice through debating, Model UN leadership, and an early focus on communication-driven roles, a background that fuels her confident, analytical style today. On the WNBA beat, she cuts past surface storylines and digs into the tactical shifts reshaping the women’s game, giving readers fresh insight into a league that continues to redefine basketball itself.

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Shreya Singh

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