The Heated History Behind Marina Mabrey And Courtney Williams Before Becoming Unrivaled Teammates

Marina Mabrey and Courtney Williams had to be pulled apart by teammates during an Unrivaled game last season.

With 4:27 left in the second quarter of a matchup between the Lunar Owls and Vinyls BC, both players lunged for a loose ball.

Mabrey grabbed it and started dribbling toward the basket.

Williams blocked her shot attempt.

After the block, the two got into a scuffle on the court.

Teammates rushed in to separate them.

Both players were assessed technical fouls for their conduct.

That moment resurfaced online this week after Unrivaled announced its rosters for the upcoming third season.

On Wednesday, the league revealed its six-player squads for the 8-week season, which begins Jan. 8 in Boston.

The Lunar Owls BC roster includes Courtney Williams and Marina Mabrey — now teammates instead of opponents.

Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins, Sydney Taylor, and Temi Fágbénlé round out the Lunar Owls lineup.

When the news dropped, B/R W Sports posted about the pairing on social media.

Courtney Williams commented on the post.

Then Marina Mabrey chimed in with a reply of her own.

"damn no more fights," Mabrey wrote.

The comment was short, but it acknowledged the history between the two players.

That history includes more than just the Unrivaled scuffle.

Mabrey has been at the center of multiple on-court altercations this season in the WNBA.

During a game against the Indiana Fever in August, Mabrey and Kelsey Mitchell got into a heated face-to-face exchange after a physical off-ball play.

Both players were assessed double technical fouls.

Before that, in July, Arike Ogunbowale and Mabrey got tangled up and exchanged words.

Mabrey was hit with a technical foul in that incident.

Courtney Williams also had her share of physical moments this past season.

During a matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and the Chicago Sky in August, Williams had a brief, physical on-court tangle and aggressive contact while trying to snatch the ball away from Angel Reese.

Neither player shies away from confrontation — that is part of what makes them fan favorites.

"That team bout to have so many crashouts 😂😂," one fan wrote on social media after the Lunar Owls roster was announced.

The league's third season will feature a 14-game schedule, with each team facing every opponent twice.

A midseason 1-on-1 tournament offers an independent prize pool.

The league uses an annual draft system, meaning last year's Mist BC championship roster — Breanna Stewart, Arike Ogunbowale, Veronica Burton, Alanna Smith, Li Yueru, and Allisha Gray — will compete on different teams this season.

Breeze BC will feature Paige Bueckers, Kahleah Copper, Dominique Malonga, Kaitlyn Chen, DiJonai Carrington, and Monique Billings.

Hive BC will have Olivia Miles, Sonia Citron, Cameron Brink, Natisha Hiedeman, Rae Burrell, and Naz Hillmon.

Laces BC will feature Jackie Young, Gabby Williams, Jessica Shepard, Marine Johannes, Maddy Siegrist, and Satou Sabally.

The Lunar Owls BC will play with Courtney Williams, Marina Mabrey, Napheesa Collier, Skylar Diggins, Sydney Taylor, and Temi Fágbénlé.

The Mist BC squad consists of Veronica Burton, Bridget Carleton, Breanna Stewart, Arike Ogunbowale, Kiki Rice, and Izzy Harrison.

Phantom BC will have Kelsey Plum, Kayla McBride, Aaliyah Edwards, Natasha Cloud, Tiffany Hayes, and Li Yueru.

Rose BC will have Chelsea Gray, Brittney Sykes, Shakira Austin, Aziaha James, Lexie Hull, and Kayla Thornton.

Vinyl BC will feature Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Dearica Hamby, Jordin Canada, Flau'jae Johnson, and Aneesah Morrow.

Unrivaled players sign directly with the league, with over 75% on multi-year deals.

Several notable players will not participate this season.