Cameron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, is close to a return after a 13-month absence from the Los Angeles Sparks lineup. Brink tore the ACL and meniscus in her left knee early in her rookie season, and she said Saturday that she is finally cleared to play following a lengthy recovery period. Sparks coach Lynne Roberts ruled Brink out for Saturday’s contest against the New York Liberty but said she expects the young forward to take the floor soon.
Brink worked her way back to on-court drills earlier this summer but was still limited to non-contact practice as recently as June. She indicated in an episode of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on June 3 that it would still take “a couple months” to get back into the game action. It was unclear, though, when that episode was recorded.
“I feel great. I’m super thankful that the Sparks have let me take my time and really feel great coming back,” Brink said after Saturday’s shootaround. “I’m excited to be out there with my teammates.”
During the 2025 WNBA Draft, ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported that Brink would be back before the All-Star break. That timeline did not come to fruition as the festivities unfolded last weekend, but it could only be a short delay before Brink makes her long-awaited season debut.
“I’ve put in a lot of hard work,” Brink said. “I feel like what people usually see is me living my life normally, but people don’t see the hours and hours that I put in the gym with my trainers, amazing training staff. I’ve been working my (behind) off, so I definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel for sure.”
Brink’s injury occurred in a June 19, 2024 game against the Connecticut Sun. The former Stanford star, national champion and Naismith Defensive Player of the Year took a slight bump on a drive to the basket, and her left leg buckled as she collapsed to the ground. She hobbled off the floor and received assistance on her way into the locker room.
It did not take long for Brink to establish herself as a defensive weapon at the pro level as she posted 2.3 blocks per game on an average of just 22 minutes. She tallied 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest in the small sample size before her injury.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking for sure,” Brink said of her looming return. “I’m just really going to try to be patient with myself because I’m definitely not where I was last year,” she said. “It’s still a work in progress, but yeah, just thankful for the fans. Really excited to be able to just go out there and do what I love.”
