Coming off an injury is one of the hardest journeys an athlete can embark on, and Cameron Brink can attest to that. The Los Angeles Sparks star tore her ACL in June 2024, missed the rest of the season, and had to sit out the Olympics as well. It was only recently that she returned to action, which means she can now look back and reflect on how this period changed her.
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It was tough for Brink, who supplemented her time with endorsement deals, photoshoots, and appearances on TV. She even did a program with Anthony Davis called Foul Play, but not being on the court, hooping daily, took a toll on her mindset.
Time heals all wounds, and Brink, who was selected in the 2024 Draft after Caitlin Clark, is now back and looking better with each passing day. Brink, along with Sydel Curry, spoke about her mental approach on a recent episode of Straight to Cam.
“I love our head coach, Lynne Roberts,” said Brink after Sydel wondered how her headspace was ahead of her return. “She told me to focus on defense, focus on rebounding, run the floor, the shots will find me in the offense, and the rest will come. It just feels good that your coach just gives you that confidence.”
Brink recalled coming off the bench during her college days and said she enjoys being that kind of asset for her team. “I love coming off the bench. It’s kind of nice. You can kind of get a feel for the game,” she stated.
A bench or 6th man role would be clutch for Brink right now. It will allow her the patience to find her rhythm, with smaller expectations and responsibilities. She knows this, which is why she plans to give the team the spark they need whenever she’s on the floor. “For me, I look at this season as we already have great stuff going on. I just want to go in and bring positive energy,” the 23-year-old baller stated.
“10 out of 10. Happy to be back,” she added in a somber tone. It was almost as if Brink recalled the moment she went down, and how hard the climb back up had been.
So far, Brink is looking okay. In a July 29 showdown against the Aces, she dropped 5 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and a made three-pointer. On August 1, her second game back, she recorded 7 points and 4 rebounds, along with another three-pointer.
They’re by no means huge numbers, but those will come in time. For now, it’s just nice that Brink gets to be back where she’s most comfortable, on the hardwood alongside her teammates.
