Marina Mabrey dribbling basketballMarina Mabrey (Photo via Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)
Angel Reese has some new competition in her rivalry with Caitlin Clark, as the Connecticut Sun has two players who appear to have her position under threat.

Guards Marina Mabrey and Jacy Sheldon both had incidents with Clark during the Sun’s clash with the Indiana Fever on Tuesday night, with Marina hitting her with a cheap shot and throwing her to the floor in what turned out to be a blowout loss.

Things got heated after Sheldon poked Clark in the eye and got shoved. Mabrey came rushing in, pushing the Fever star to the floor.

She was handed a technical foul, which has since been upgraded to a flagrant 2.

Fever head coach Stephanie White was not happy with the challenge and made sure to touch on it after the game, criticizing the officials for allowing things to get out of control, something she claims has been happening all season.

“You’ve got competitive women who are the best in the world at what they do, and when you allow them to play physical, and you allow these things to happen, they’re going to compete, and they’re going to have their teammates’ backs,” she told reporters.

 

Marina Mabrey Had An 8-Word Message

Caitlin Clark shovedCaitlin Clark shoved (Photo via Twitter)

Mabrey, meanwhile, has refused to apologize. Speaking on a live stream, she delivered a blunt message after someone brought the foul up in the comments.

“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” she remarked.

Of course, no one expected her to apologize; it’s not as if Clark got hurt.

The Sun and the Fever will play again on July 15, and the game will undoubtedly be one of the more anticipated Fever fixtures set to come up, given that there’s now no love lost.

Houston Texans star Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his illegal hit to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the ensuing brawl between the teams in a lengthy statement on social media.  

Al-Shaair’s statement comes as his three-game suspension as a result of the incident has ended and he is slated to return to the field for the Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

On December 1, an Al-Shaair hit to the head of a sliding and defenseless Lawrence caused chaos in Jacksonville. The defensive back needed to be restrained by several coaches and Lawrence has not played since taking the barbaric contact.

‘While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative – that l’m a dirty player or bad person – the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,’ Al-Shaair said on social media.

‘I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video – letting my emotions get the best of me to the point where I completely lost it – was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me.’

‘I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.’

Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
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Azeez Al-Shaair has admitted regrets over his hit to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence

The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence
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The Texans defensive back was suspended for three games as a result of the hit to Lawrence

Al-Shaair said during his three-game ban, he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and other league executives for the first time, taking issue with how he was characterized in the official announcement of his suspension.

The defender said he thought his character and integrity were ‘unjustifiably smeared’ in the release but the meeting with Goodell and others was ‘productive’ and gave him hope it would not happen again.

‘In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,’ Al-Shaair continued.

‘I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.’

Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence was not the only controversial incident he was involved in this season.

During the Texans’ game against the Bears in September, he punched Roschon Johnson, who wasn’t even in the game at the time of another sideline confrontation.

Al-Shaair ended his statement by saying his view is that everyone in the league office and on the field are on the same team to represent the NFL in the best nature possible, something he failed to do earlier this month.

‘Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most,’ Al-Shaair concluded.

‘I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I’m grateful to be back doing what I love.’