Thursday was a tough day for WNBA fans who saw some of their favorite newcomers waived from teams. Some Tempo fans in particular were surprised to learn Dara Mabrey, the sister of Marina Mabrey, had been booted — and they made their displeasure known across several social media platforms.
Many fans assumed Dara was safe because the team prompted her relationship with Marina so much on social media during training camp, which was interpreted as a signal she could be on the team for the longterm. While no one would argue that Dara should have stayed on the team just because she and Marina are sisters, it's clear that a lot of fans were excited by the prospect of seeing them play together. As one person wrote on Bluesky, "Not Dara! THE DREAM OF MABREY x 2 IS OVER ðŸ˜."
Dara was signed to a training camp contract on April 15, but didn't receive any other contractual offer from the team. In retrospect, that was an early signal to fans that she might not be staying as long as some had hoped, though it was possible Dara could have snagged one of the team's two developmental player spots.
Being added to a training camp roster is still a big deal
Of course, just being on a training camp contract is a big deal for most players, whether they end up finding a final roster spot or not. In addition to the fact that training camp gives players the opportuntiy to compete for a roster spot and also to showcase their skills to other athletes and their coaches, players can use those contrats to negotiate for higher salaries if they choose to play overseas.
Dara graduated from Notre Dame after the 2022-23 season. She's also played professionally in Australia's NBL1 league and in Greece's PAOK Thessaloniki league, and she averaged 17.6 points and 3.9 assists through 21 games in the latter. The Tempo brought her in to training camp in part due to her versatility as a player, as well as her defensive skills.
Her sister Marina was initially chosen by the Tempo as part of the team's Expansion Draft in April, and then offered a multi-year contract to help lead the team to success sooner than later. The Tempo are making their debut as an expansion team this season alongside the Portland Fire.
Monica Wright Rogers, the GM for the Tempo, told reporters Marina was brought on to the team because she's not afraid of "big moments," and she's certainly known for being unwilling to back down.
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