The Los Angeles Sparks surprised everyone in their pre-season debut, beating out the Seatle Storm in commanding fashion. The contest ended with a scoreline of 84-79. The Sparks had significant help from their rookies, as Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson came up big in their WNBA debuts.
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Brink was the second-highest scorer on the team with 11 points, while Jackson added 10 of her own. The #2 pick of the draft, Cameron, showed flashes of her Stanford days as the 6’4 forward shone on the defensive end, collecting 3 rebounds and securing two blocks in just 22 minutes of play.
Before the Sparks played their second preseason game against the Phoenix Mercury, the media caught up with the two Sparks rookies, Brink and Jackson, in an attempt to interview them, asking them questions about their WNBA transition and the difficulties they faced.
” I think the hardest thing is just adapting to a new style of play and philosophies. The speed and physicality we play at.” Brink told the media when asked about her transition. The former Cardinals player seems to be enjoying her time with her new team and finds the experience of playing in the WNBA an “honor.”
Cameron Brink & Rickea Jackson discuss the transition from college to the WNBA, expectations and more as the Sparks prepare for the regular season. pic.twitter.com/mM4HjzjipY
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) May 10, 2024
Brink will face her long-time collegiate rival, Caitlin Clark, in the team’s first game at Crypto.com Arena this season. The contest will surely attract a huge crowd as the No. 1 pick and No. 2 pick will be facing off on one of the biggest stages in basketball history. Even Brink seemed excited, telling the media,
” That will definitely be sold out and I’ll bet money on that. Caitlin is one of my good friends, so I am happy to see her again.”
The Indiana Fever will be visiting Brink and her squad on May 24th. The contest is touted to be one of a kind, as the guard-heavy Indiana side will face off against a bigger opponent in the Sparks. As of now, Brink has the advantage over her superstar draft mates Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, as the 22-year-old tasted victory in her first game as a professional while the duo faced defeat in their openers.
Magic Johnson thinks he has an Ace in his Sparks team
While Caitlin Clark was the main attraction of the 2024 WNBA draft, the consensus winner of the night was the LA Sparks. The team drafted three solid players that can be the pillars of its future endeavors. With Cameron Bink handling matters down low, the two guards, Rickea Jackson and McKenzie Forbes can handle the scoring and ball-handling duties in the backcourt. Setting the expectations for the star trio, team owner, Magic Johnson took to the social media platform X, where he posted a picture with his rookies, captioning it,
“It was nice to meet the new trio for the LA Sparks! I know that they are going to create their own magic and lead the Sparks back to being a championship-contesting team! ”
It was nice to meet the new trio for the LA Sparks! I know that they are going to create their own magic and lead the Sparks back to being a championship contending team! https://t.co/KonsSRLksx
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 26, 2024
The addition of Brink, McKenzie, and Johnson should improve the odds of the LA side moving forward, but they have an uphill battle as the team has failed to make the post-season for the last three seasons. Aside from Dearica Hamby, the team has a serious lack of talent, but looking at the current roster, it’s not hyperbole to expect the Los Angeles side to make a deep run this time around.
