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Los Angeles Sparks rookie Cameron Brink voiced her frustrations with some of the current narratives surrounding the 2024 WNBA rookies, calling them unrealistic and exhausting. In a candid interview with Megan Armstrong of Uproxx, Brink addressed the common perception that veteran players are against rookies and that newcomers must be flawless from the start.
“Oh, that’s a great question. The most tired narrative is that the vets are against the rookies — this old-school versus new-school narrative — and the narrative that the rookies need to be perfect,” Brink said. “I feel like Caitlin Clark has that the worst right now, but even I get that. She had three points the other night [against New York on June 2]. I had three points the other night (against Indiana on May 28). We’re expected to be perfect. We were drafted to high-drafting teams coming off of losing seasons, which is fine. It’s a learning process. But people expect us to be perfect, and it’s freaking exhausting. I feel like we learn how to tune it out, but still, it’s unrealistic, and it kind of just shows that people don’t know basketball.”
On May 24, the Sparks faced the Fever in a much-anticipated matchup between the Nos. 1 and 2 overall picks of the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark and Brink. Despite the Fever's 78-73 victory, Brink left a lasting impression on a group of young fans. Observing the game for Dime, I saw Brink bring a group of 11-year-old girls to ecstatic glee with a simple wave during pregame warmups, despite their allegiance to Clark, evidenced by their No. 22 jerseys. Watching the game were a group of young girls who were excited to watch Brink during the pregame warmups, despite wearing No. 22 Caitlin Clark jerseys. Brink reflected on the memory, “I remember that … (My teammates and I) were laughing because we were like, ‘What? You like me? You’re wearing Caitlin’s jersey.”
Brink, the reigning Pac-12 Women’s Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year from Stanford, has quickly proven her worth in the WNBA. Averaging 8.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game, she ranks just behind Seattle’s Ezi Magbegor and Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson in blocks per game.
Cameron Brink, other rookies adjusting to the pros
Transitioning from college to the WNBA has been a significant adjustment for Brink, particularly in terms of mental fatigue. She credits Sparks head coach Curt Miller with helping her adapt to a new style of play, different from what she experienced under Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer.
“Curt Miller is an amazing coach, but his coaching style is completely different than (former Stanford head coach) Tara’s (VanDerveer). It’s been great, honestly, for me to learn different things, but he just runs a completely different offense, so it’s relearning everything,” Brink said.
Despite the challenges, Brink acknowledged the support she has received from her teammates, especially veteran forward Dearica Hamby.
“Definitely Dearica Hamby. She’s like my mom out there. She is a mom to her own two kids, so I feel bad that she has another in me, but she’s just the kindest. A really great leader and very steady for us,” she said.
Brink also shared her admiration for WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, recalling a humorous exchange during a game.
“Just yesterday, (during the Sparks’ 87-68 loss in Phoenix), we were at the free throw line, and she came up to me, and she was like, ‘You’re gonna be dealing with this sh*t for another 20 years.’ And I looked at her and was like, ‘I feel like I’m gonna get cut next year if I keep playing this way,’” Brink said. “So, we both were laughing. She’s really great. And, like I said before, the narrative that the veterans are not supporting us could not be further from the truth because she is literally one of my favorite people. It’s just annoying.”
As Brink continues to navigate her rookie season, she remains focused on growing and adapting, both on and off the court. With the support of her teammates and family, she is determined to overcome the pressures and expectations placed on rookies.
“People expect us to be perfect, and it’s freaking exhausting,” Brink said. “I feel like we learn how to tune it out, but still, it’s unrealistic, and it kind of just shows that people don’t know basketball.”
