LA Sparks rookie, Stanford alumnus Cameron Brink tears ACL in left knee
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Los Angeles rookie Cameron Brink tore the ACL in her left knee, the Sparks announced Wednesday.
The rookie forward had to be helped off the court after suffering the injury in the first quarter of the Sparks' 79-70 loss to Connecticut on Tuesday night. Brink played under four minutes and committed one foul before getting hurt.
Once over to the sideline, the No. 2 pick in the draft 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.
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The 22-year-old Brink came into the game averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in her first season for Los Angeles (4-11). She's tied with A'ja Wilson for the second-most blocks in the WNBA.
"Except for the 2019 season I've lost a starter to injury every single year I've been a head coach in this league," Curt Miller said. "You just have to have the mentality of next person up and rally around it."
Brink, who won a national championship with Stanford in 2021, is on the U.S. 3x3 team for the Paris Olympics and a replacement will have to be named for her.
The Sparks head to New York to play two games against the Liberty on Thursday and Saturday.
On Instagram, Brink said in a statement:
"You never think it will happen to you. And despite all the hard work sometimes it does. This is hard to fathom but I know it will only make me stronger. I will not be derailed and I will continue to love this life- I'm not defined by basketball, but it is something that I love deeply and I will work everyday to get back to it. It's not goodbye basketball it's just a see you later. I'm always so thankful for your thoughts and prayers."
