LOS ANGELES — The 2024 WNBA season got underway for the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday night against the Atlanta Dream. While the Sparks managed to keep the game close through three quarters, an 11-0 run by the Dream to start the fourth quarter proved too much for the Sparks to manage. Although the Sparks lost, 92-81, there were a few encouraging signs particularly from Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink.

There are a few new faces for the Sparks this season, most notably Brink and fellow rookie Rickea Jackson. Both players were lottery picks in the WNBA Draft and both figure to play important roles for the Sparks this season.

Both rookies showed major potential on opening night with Brink in particular showing she can be a force on both ends of the court. Here are a few key takeaways from the Sparks season opener

Cameron Brink could be in the Rookie of the Year conversation

Cameron Brink speaks in a press conference after she is selected with the number two overall pick to the Los Angeles Sparks n the 2024 WNBA Draft at Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Many around the WNBA from fans to media alike seem to believe that Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark is the overwhelming favorite to win the 2024 Rookie of the Year Award. And that's not a bad prediction. She's going to have the ball in her hands from the get-go and certainly has a ton of hype as the season gets underway.

But Cameron Brink can have a Rookie of the Year type impact for the Sparks as well. The award is probably Clark's to lose, but if the Sparks first game any indication, Brink is poised to have a big impact both offensively and defensively.

She got into foul trouble and ended up sitting on the bench for a good portion of the Sparks-Dream game with five fouls, but she had a few good defensive possessions going against two strong post players in Tina Charle and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus.

Following the game, Sparks head coach Curt Miller spoke about Brink's foul trouble while acknowledging the potential she has.

“Cam has to find a way to stay out of foul trouble because she's so important to what we're doing. She helps spread the floor offensively. She's a really good distributor of the ball as a 6'5 person so she can create opportunities for teammates. Defensively she's great rim protection, but when you play three minutes in the first stretch and have to sit down, that's a big blow,” Miller said. “She battled through that, she battled her emotions of being frustrated by being in foul trouble and put together a nice second half.”

Overall, Brink finished with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 2-0f-3 from three-point range, two rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. As Miller put it, “that stat line for a rookie with less than 20 minutes in a game is a really solid start for her.”

Dearica Hamby could regain her All-Star form

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Also putting up a strong first game for the Sparks was Brink's frontcourt partner Dearica Hamby. Last season was Hamby's first with the Sparks after being acquired in a trade with the Las Vegas Aces. Following the birth of her son, Hamby worked her way back into game shape and played in all 40 games for the Sparks.

As the 2023 season progressed, she began to look more and more like the two-time All-Star she was with the Aces. If the Sparks opener against the Dream is any indication, she's back to that level of play. Following the game, Hamby spoke about her mindset coming into this season.

“I just came into camp very clear-minded and had very clear intentions on what I wanted the season to look like for me personally and what I wanted to help this team do,” Hamby said. “I think at first people were probably like, ‘you're f**king crazy.' I think the consistency I've shown in camp and preseason and this first game. . .I'm in business now.”

Hamby was the Sparks second-leading scorer against the Dream with 20 points on 7-15 shooting from the field and 4-6 from three-point range. She also finished with 14 rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Cameron Brink, Dearica Hamby frontcourt could be one of the league's best

If Cameron Brink ends up having a Rookie of the Year type season and Dearica Hamby is back to her All-Star form, they have the potential to be one of the best frontcourt duos in the league for the Sparks. Both players can space the floor with three-point shooting and can finish around the basket.

Both players are versatile defensively and they played well off of one another against the Dream during the minutes they were out on the court. After the game, Hamby acknowledged that the team needs Brink on the floor and out of foul trouble, but that the chemistry between the two began during Team USA training camp for the 3×3 competition at the Olympics.

“We just got to keep her on the floor, but we took a lot of time a 3-on-3, we were together a week in Massachusetts. That game is very fast and you got to read off each other very quickly,” Hamby said. “To be on that team with her I think helped. We're both so versatile, I think it's gonna work out in the end.”