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Notre Dame Women’s Basketball: Marina Mabrey selected 19th overall by Los Angeles Sparks

By Ben Belden

TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 07: Marina Mabrey #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates her basket against the Baylor Lady Bears during the fourth quarter in the championship game of the 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four at Amalie Arena on April 07, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - APRIL 07: Marina Mabrey #3 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates her basket against the Baylor Lady Bears during the fourth quarter in the championship game of the 2019 NCAA Women's Final Four at Amalie Arena on April 07, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
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The fifth Notre Dame women’s basketball player selected in the WNBA draft, Marina Mabrey is headed to the City of Angels after being selected 19th overall by the Sparks.

Notre Dame women’s basketball wouldn’t have been the same without the fiery Marina Mabrey. The sharp-shooting perimeter player from New Jersey certainly left her mark on the program. She will continue her career on the basketball court playing for the Los Angeles Sparks and Head Coach Derek Fisher.

Mabrey is a versatile player, which undoubtedly upped her draft stock. After being thrust into the point guard spot due to injuries in the middle of her junior year, Mabrey flourished in her leadership role for the Irish.

Mabrey was the driving force and the heart and soul for the Irish and her guard skills will definitely be honed under her coach, Derek Fisher. Mabrey joins a Los Angeles team that is one of the WNBA’s most recognizable franchises, having won 3 WNBA titles (the last coming in 2016) since the league started.

One extra layer of intrigue here: Mabrey will now be a rival of former teammate Jessica Shepard, who was selected to the Minnesota Lynx. Irish fans, no doubt, will enjoy the matchups between the former Irish teammates.

Next. Jess Shepard Selected 16th Overall to Minnesota. dark

As Mabrey takes the next steps in her career, her strengths are obvious: Her leadership and shooting make her an easy fit on any WNBA roster. But Mabrey will have to continue to develop her game on the defensive end as she heads to the WNBA. Not known as a premier defender, Mabrey will undoubtedly work on the defensive side of the court as she competes for time in Los Angeles.