Cameron Brink was one of women’s basketball’s most highly touted prospects when she was selected second overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2024. Unfortunately, though, just 15 games into her rookie season, the Stanford standout went down with a season-ending ACL tear. Now eight months into her recovery, Brink recently gave an update on her injury status.
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Brink did admit her recovery time has flown by but also stressed that she was currently in the toughest time in her recovery process. Now that the national attention is off of her injury, the 23-year-old has complete focus on getting back to her past physical self. But it isn’t easy when the most grueling aspects of her rehab process still lie ahead.
“This is the hardest part for me because I’m just finally starting to do the jumping, the running, the cutting. Not really supposed to cut yet, but you know,” Brink said during her injury update. She admitted she didn’t even feel like an athlete after being exhausted by a light on-off running exercise, but she’s making progress.
The star center also gave advice to other athletes who when they suffer a long-term injury. Knowing how strenuous the recovery process can be, Brink insisted that it’s important to cut yourself some slack in the final months.
“So anyone going through it right now, whether that’s ACL, Achilles, anything, just know that… I feel like toward the end, give yourself more grace,” she said while looking into the camera. “Give yourself as much grace as you did in the beginning.”
Brink has been very open about her recovery process and has shared how she’s grown from the experience.
Cameron Brink’s long-term injury gave her a new perspective
Cameron Brink has talked through the ups and downs of her injury and how it’s affected her. She acknowledged her transformation from the experience and how she refused to quit despite the odds being stacked against her just two months after hearing her name called at the WNBA Draft.
“I saw this quote the other day. It was like, ‘I’ve definitely met the lowest version of myself this year, but I’ve also met the strongest version of myself.’” Cameron told Women’s Health via Zoom from Los Angeles, where she was shooting her latest New Balance campaign. “I didn’t let my trajectory stop.”
Brink admitted how tough it was to see people carry on with their normal lives while she was stuck recovering but immediately felt thankful once she was able to walk again. It’s been a long road to recovery for Cameron Brink, but with the way she has persevered in recent months, she should be back dominating for the Sparks next season.
