Marina Mabrey has never shied away from speaking her mind, so it's no surprise that she has one of the loudest voices when it comes to speaking about issues facing female athletes.

The Los Angeles Sparks rookie and former star at the University of Notre Dame and Manasquan and Point Beach high schools took Twitter by storm last week when she showed up at a game wearing a custom t-shirt with the words “This is my kitchen” printed over a basketball court.

The genesis of the shirt can be traced to a tweet that Mabrey posted after Notre Dame captured the national championship in 2018. After two straight buzzer-beaters in the Final Four and the title game, Mabrey wrote, “To all the male women’s basketball haters, y’all can get in the kitchen and make us a sandwich now, thanks.”

Using the wide platform she possesses, Mabrey has defiantly expressed the same message, that women belong in athletics and deserve respect, in the face of intolerant voices online.

More:Adam Sandler: Comedian shoots hoops at St. John Vianney before Holmdel gig

For subscribers:Is now the moment for Sky Blue FC and women's pro soccer?

“It’s me saying to respect women and respect that they put in the work and that they’re trying just as hard as any other professional athlete,” said Mabrey, who returns to the metropolitan area when the Sparks play the New York Liberty at the Westchester County Center in White Plains on Saturday (3 p.m. ET, NBA TV, Fox Sports GO, Spectrum SportsNet, TSN). “Instead of commenting, ‘get in the kitchen,’ they should really just get off their computer and shut their mouths.”

“It’s just plain disrespectful. I think a lot of people are angry because women’s basketball is coming up, and they don’t like the fact that women can be powerful just like men can be.”

Before we go any farther: Our Jersey Shore prep sports coverage is second to none. From football to wrestling to basketball, our reporters follow the teams and find the stories with heart about your favorite student-athletes in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Consider getting a digital subscription today.

Mabrey’s new t-shirt drew the attention of thousands of people on Twitter, including multiple NBA players. Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Dorell Wright all shared the viral tweet and voiced their support of Mabrey’s message.

The NBA players aren’t just talk. Mabrey said that NBA players have been in attendance at virtually all of the Sparks’ games this summer. Some have ordered the t-shirt with the intent of spreading Mabrey’s message.

“The NBA is great for the WNBA because they support us, they know what kind of work we put in, they respect our game, and they actually like watching it,” Mabrey said. “They’re setting the tone for these people who feel like their opinion matters and showing them, ‘that’s not cool, we support women’s sports.’”

Mabrey’s statement comes in the wake of the United States women’s national soccer team’s dominant run to a second straight World Cup title. However, the biggest headlines came from the group’s fight for equal pay, a cause trumpeted particularly by Golden Boot winner Megan Rapinoe, the girlfriend of women’s basketball legend Sue Bird.

“I love what they’re doing,” Mabrey said. “I just like how they’re not afraid to speak out or act like themselves.”

More:USWNT stars will play in NJ this summer; here's when you can watch

Tim Tebow:Time running out on baseball dream

Despite what naysayers may say on social media, women’s sports continue to grow. The two Final Four runs that Mabrey took part in during her junior and senior seasons garnered stellar television ratings while the games and players consistently trended on Twitter.

And as those sports celebrate growth, athletes like Mabrey will set the bar.

“I’m in full support of women athletes, and women in general, who aren’t afraid to speak up and say that women’s sports matter,” Mabrey said. “Anybody else that wants to hate on it and has something to say, no one cares, and no one’s listening to you anymore.”

Mabrey's design is available in t-shirt and hoodie.

Danny LoGiudice has covered local sports across New Jersey since 2014. Contact him at dlogiudice@gannettnj.com or @danny_logiudice on Twitter.