The Toronto Tempo may have just barely lost their first-ever game to the Washington Mystics Friday, but the game proved one thing is true: Marina Mabrey is right where she needs to be.
Mabrey was having a very different season this time last year. She'd made her desire to be traded from the Connecticut Sun during the preseason, something the team ultimately did not fulfill. The resulting back and forth prompted plenty of discussion about how Mabrey was treated with the team, and many pointed to her history of requesting trades as potentially part of the reason the Sun didn't comply.
Whatever did or didn't happen, last night's game made it clear that Mabrey is in an entirely different era now. She was chosen by the team as part of their expansion draft and offered a two-year deal at the new league max (a deal also reached by Brittney Sykes, making the pair the first million-dollar backcourt in the WNBA's hisory.
Mabrey came out to cheers last night when she and the rest of the Tempo were greeted by more than 8,000 thrilled fans, and those fans were excited. After all, the Tempo is the first WNBA team in Canada, which is a major deal no matter who you're rooting for. She ended the night with a game-high 27 points, despite what Sandy Brondello later described as an "ugly" game of basketball. Those points will be part of the historical record the Tempo is recording in real time.
After the game, Mabrey credited the fans with carrying the team through what was ultimately a loss — but a close one. She noted the obvious, that the team is new and still trying to put together so much: their identity, culture, plays. Having fans already in their corner as they figure that out makes a difference, and it's something that's tangible.
All eyes will be back on Mabrey when the team takes the court again on May 13, this time against the Seattle Storm. The Tempo will have something to prove, especially since this game will be played back at their home arena. It'll be another opportunity to prove what the team can do, and another chance for Mabrey to play with a team she clearly belongs on.
The WNBA season is too young to know what might happen next, and the Tempo are too new to have much to work with. But one thing feels safe to rely on: the Tempo have a crowd they can count on, and Mabrey might just become the team's star.
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