Los Angeles Sparks star Cameron Brink has had a slow start to her WNBA career after she was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. However, after some prodding from her head coach, she is finally playing up to her potential.
Brink’s young career hit a bit of a speed bump during her rookie season when she went down with a torn ACL just 15 games into her professional career. The injury obviously ended her rookie season, and she played just 19 games with significantly fewer minutes last season.
Now fully healthy, there were high expectations for Brink heading into the 2026 season, but she had a disappointing season-opener, to say the least. Brink played 8 minutes off the bench in the season-opening showdown with the Las Vegas Aces, but she finished the game with zero shot attempts and just three rebounds while accounting for three personal fouls and three turnovers.
After the game, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts did not mince words as she addressed Brink’s performance and her limited minutes.
“We need Cam to produce,” Roberts said after the game. “We need Cam to bring that defensive energy. We have so much confidence and belief in her. She’s gotta get out on the floor with some confidence and do what she’s capable of doing.”
Since then, Brink has continued to come off the bench, but she has indeed started to produce, and she’s played more minutes as a result.
Over the past four games, Brink has averaged 10 points and 3.8 rebounds while playing more than 19 minutes per game. Defensively, she’s also averaging more than two blocks per game, including a high-profile block on Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark.
Her production still is not where the Sparks would like it to be after selecting her with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, but she’s showing signs of the potential she possessed coming out of college.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.