Cameron Brink breaks her silence and sends a message following her devastating injury

Brink took to social media to share her feelings

Lapresse

The Los Angeles Sparks‘ worst fears were confirmed Wednesday when the franchise revealed that star rookie Cameron Brink had suffered a torn ACL in her left knee the night before — a brutal injury that will sideline the forward for the remainder of the 2024 WNBA season.

Brink‘s injury is a tough pill for the rebuilding Sparks to swallow, and the player herself was merely weeks away from heading to Paris to participate in the Summer Olympic Games. But if Brink has her way, she will get back on the court soon and play better than ever in 2025.

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After the Sparks confirmed the extent of her injury on Wednesday, Brink took to Instagram and shared a message with her 1.2 million followers on the platform. She began by saying “you never think (an ACL injury) will happen to you” and remarking how difficult it was to fathom that her rookie season was over after just 15 games.

“I will not be derailed and I will continue to love this life,” Brink wrote in a caption capped by the hashtag #delayednotdenied. “I’m not defined by basketball, but it is something that I love deeply and I will work everyday to get back to it.”

Brink was averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game before she suffered a non-contact injury on a cut to the rim against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. Alongside fellow rookie Rickea Jackson, Brink represents the Sparks’ future amid the legacy franchise’s hopes of returning to championship contention in the coming seasons.

Brink’s post received support from tennis star Coco Gauff, as well as WNBA stars like Angel Reese, Breanna Stewart, and A’ja Wilson — all of whom are surely eager to see Brink make her return to the hardwood. But for now, she will be taking the first steps toward recovery from this ligament injury, which will challenge her in ways she has not been challenged before

Caitlin Clark is devastated for Cameron Brink and sends her an emotional message

Suffered an ACL tear against the Connecticut Sun

Clark in actionDoug McSchoolerLAPRESSE

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Sparks faced a significant setback as forward Cameron Brink suffered an ACL tear, bringing an early end to her promising rookie season. Caitlin Clark, another standout rookie, expressed her sorrow over Brink‘s injury during a press conference on Wednesday, just before her team’s game against the Washington Mystics.

“Obviously devastating,” Clark said.

Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink carted off court after knee injury

“You don’t want to see anybody deal with any sort of injury, and obviously not one of that magnitude. I know that she’s the type of person that will be able to get through it, and come out stronger, but it just breaks your heart.”

At 22 years old, Brink was the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s WNBA draft, right after Clark. In her short season, Brink was averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.

Brink’s emotional message

The injury occurred during a game against the Connecticut Sun when she slipped while driving to the basket. Following the diagnosis, Brink took to social media to share her thoughts and inform her followers about her condition.

“You never think it will happen to you,” she wrote.

“And despite all the hard work, it does happen sometimes. It’s hard to understand but I know it will only make me stronger.

“I won’t derail and I will continue to love this life – I’m not defined by basketball, but it’s something I love deeply and I will work every day to get back to it. It’s not a goodbye to basketball, it’s just. see you later. I am always very grateful for your thoughts and prayers.

This injury means Brink will miss not only the rest of the WNBA season but also the Paris Olympics this summer, where she was set to compete as part of the USA’s 3×3 basketball team