Los Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink had to be helped off the court after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of a game at Connecticut on Tuesday night. The Los Angeles Sparks confirmed on Wednesday that Brink has a torn ACL in her left knee. The team did not provide a timetable for her recovery.
Brink played under four minutes and committed one foul before getting hurt.
Once over to the sidelines, Brink hobbled toward the locker room, but was forced to stop as a result of the pain. A pair of Sparks personnel lifted Brink off her feet and carried her to the locker room.
ADVERTISEMENT
The 22-year-old Brink, who was the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft behind Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever, came into the game averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in her first season in Los Angeles (4-10).
“Except for the 2019 season, I’ve lost a starter to injury every single year I’ve been a head coach in this league,’ Los Angeles Sparks coach Curt Miller said. “You just have to have the mentality of next person up and rally around it.”
“We’re praying and hoping for the best for Cam,” Miller said.
Brink is currently slated to play a key role on the USA Basketball 3×3 women’s team headed to France to play in the 2024 Paris Olympics, alongside star college basketball guard Hailey Van Lith of TCU. However, this diagnosis casts uncertainty on whether she will be able to participate in the Paris Games this summer.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
recommended
Get more from Women’s National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more