Cameron Brink didn’t wait long to make an impact. Thirteen months after tearing her ACL, the Los Angeles Sparksforward stepped onto the court and nailed a three-pointer with her very first shot attempt Tuesday night. The crowd at Crypto.com Arena erupted as Brink jogged back on defense, grinning ear to ear.
It was a moment the former No. 2 overall pick had been waiting on for more than a year.
“Yeah, I was nervous,” Brink admitted. “But once I got going, it felt natural again. Like riding a bike.”
Brink only played 14 minutes under a tight restriction, but she made the most of them. Her stat line included 5 points, 3 rebounds, a block, a steal, and a plus-7 plus-minus in an otherwise tough 89-74 loss to the Las Vegas Aces.
Brink looked ready
Head coach Lynne Roberts didn’t expect Brink to look that comfortable so quickly.
“To be honest, she looked more ready than I thought she’d be,” Roberts said. “You don’t sit out 13 months and step in like that unless you’ve got something special.”
Brink’s presence was felt well beyond the stat sheet. She had over 20 friends and family in the building, and each time she checked in, the building responded with a wave of applause. Her energy seemed to give the Sparks a lift whenever she hit the floor.
Starting with confidence
Brink admitted she’s not quite in full game shape and doesn’t feel as fast as she once was. She’s hoping to build up to playing 20 to 25 minutes again soon.
MORE: Angel Reese back for Chicago Sky just in time
Even on a limited timeline, the competitive edge is still sharp. In the third quarter, Brink was beaten off the dribble by NaLyssa Smith, but quickly recovered to swat her shot in one of the game’s highlights.
“That’s the part I missed the most,” Brink said. “The grind. Competing. Working hard. Just being out there again with the crowd and my teammates, I’ll remember that forever.”
She was averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game before the injury cut short her rookie season in June 2024. Brink later revealed that she also tore her meniscus during the same play.
Tough loss
Before Tuesday’s loss, Los Angeles was the hottest team in the league, winning five straight. They fell to 11-15 after running into a buzzsaw in the form of A’ja Wilson, who dropped 34 points and 10 boards, her 21st career 30-10 game.
Jackie Young also made history, recording the first triple-double of her WNBA career with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists.
The Aces improved to 14-13 and have now won five of their last seven.
More WNBA News:
- Angel Reese back for Chicago Sky just in time
- Rickea Jackson "calls game" for the Los Angeles Sparks in win at New York Liberty
- Sparks make Cameron Brink injury announcement on looming return from ACL tear
- No Caitlin Clark, No Angel Reese, all Kelsey Mitchell in Fever win over Sky
- Bullet dodged: Breanna Stewart's injury does not appear to be serious