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With six minutes remaining in Thursday night's game against the New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink crumpled to the floor, keeled over in pain as her teammates surrounded her.
Brink had taken the worst from a collision with Breanna Stewart, who barreled past the third-year big as she attempted to convert a layup. Stewart drew the foul on Brink, but Brink took a shot to the ribs and had to leave the game.
Cameron Brink was helped off the court after this collision with Breanna Stewart. pic.twitter.com/BAtgMtpbPo
— espnW (@espnW) August 14, 2026The Sparks eventually lost, 85-81, their third consecutive defeat and 10th in the past 12 games.
MORE: Sparks' Cameron Brink delivered a statement performance in Lynx upset
Los Angeles will miss the WNBA playoffs this year. The franchise was comfortable with that possibility; otherwise, it wouldn't have traded Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury earlier this month.
But in trading Plum, the Sparks admitted that they were thinking about the future, and perhaps entering a soft rebuild ahead of the 2027 season.
Brink, picked just behind Caitlin Clark in the 2024 draft, increasingly has a fraught position in that future -- despite showing growth as a player in her third WNBA season.
Cameron Brink gets the block AND the bucket ❌🪣 pic.twitter.com/0VHX1xySqw
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) August 14, 2026Though her cutting, shot-blocking and offensive rebounding have become standout traits, Brink has played 59 of a possible 117 games in her three-year career. That is just over 50 percent.
Brink seems perpetually to be in foul trouble, and head coach Lynne Roberts has started her one game in the past two seasons.
Her latest injury might be more unfortunate than anything. But it shows Brink's fragility, and the stop-start nature of her WNBA career to date. The Sparks will have to decide how strongly they want to bet on the former second overall pick in 2027 and beyond.
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