Los Angeles Sparks reveal Cameron Brink suffered torn ACL

The Los Angeles Sparks revealed Wednesday that rookie Cameron Brink suffered a torn ACL on Tuesday against the Connecticut Sun. No further information regarding a timetable for her return was given, though she will presumably be sidelined for a significant amount of time.

Brink suffered the injury in the first quarter as she was driving to the basket and her knee appeared to buckle. She immediately fell to the ground and was seen grimacing in pain as she got up and hobbled back to the bench. Trainers carried her back to the locker room as she was unable to walk under her own power.

It’s an unfortunate blow for Brink, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She had so far been off to a solid start to her rookie campaign with averages of 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. 

The 6-foot-4 forward was set to represent Team USA in the 3-on-3 event in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Now it seems unlikely that will be the case with a little more than a month before the Games are set to start.

Cierra Burdick, Rhyne Howard and Hailey Van Lith are the other members of the 3-on-3 team. Now there will be some discussion on potential replacements for Brink, who will begin her recovery.

The Sparks went on to lose 79-70 on Tuesday night as their record fell to 4-11 on the year. Li Yueru stepped in to add 11 points, two rebounds and three assists after Brink went down and will likely play an increased role in their rotation going forward.

Caitlin Clark on Cameron Brink ACL injury: ‘It just breaks your heart’

No. 1 overall pick Caitlin Clark was one of many to weigh in on the devastating news for Brink. The Indiana Fever star spoke on the matter in a press conference prior to her team’s matchup against the Washington Mystics.

She offered sympathy for Brink as well as words of encouragement, saying she knows she will bounce back.

“Obviously, devastating,” Clark said. “You don’t want to see anybody deal with any sort of injury, obviously an injury of that magnitude. I know she’s the type of person that’ll be able to get through it and come out through it stronger. But yeah, it just breaks your heart. She’s such a good basketball player, but an even better person.”