DALLAS — Marine Fortu Finally Breaks Through

Marine Fortu had been anticipating this moment for quite a while.

The breakthrough came during the fifth game of the season, and boy, did Liberty need it.

Fotu achieved her first career double-double, scoring 10 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out two assists in Liberty’s close 99-98 victory against the Wings.

Remarkably, she became the first rookie guard to hit these stats while also sinking two three-pointers off the bench.

Coach Chris DeMarco was so impressed that he opted to keep her on the court for the entire five minutes of overtime.

“She’s a competitor,” DeMarco remarked. “Her level of play has been exceptional. She’s a winner, and her teammates really believe in her.”

For Fortu, Monday was a long-awaited occasion. Drafted in the third round in 2021, she signed a developmental contract this season, which limits her to just 12 regular-season appearances—she’ll need to switch to a standard contract to play more often.

After spending much of the season sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL in her left knee, Fortu made her WNBA debut on June 6. Up until Monday, she had never played more than 15 minutes in a game; that day, she logged 27 minutes, with her previous career high being just four points.

While Fortu’s achievement might be overshadowed by the remarkable overtime play of Sabrina Ionescu and Brianna Stewart’s near-triple-double, this game will definitely stick with her.

“This is special because I want to play every game,” she shared. “Watching from the sidelines was tough, but I had faith my moment would come. I work hard, and I get along well with my teammates, which helps a lot. I was really looking forward to being out there again.”

When she got called for overtime, Fortu felt ready.

“I felt good,” she said. “I knew this was my game. It made me really happy because I know I can finally do it. I feel like I’m truly coming back from my injury.”

Now the focus shifts to improving her own game and contributing to the team. Before Monday, Liberty had endured four consecutive losses and had dropped eight out of their last ten games.

“We really needed this win,” Fortu emphasized. “We worked together a lot. It was tough because they are a really good team, but we found strength in each other. So, I felt great as a team.”