Sparks news: Cameron Brink’s injury update after leaving game vs. Liberty

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Sparks came into Tuesday’s home game against the New York Liberty with an opportunity to pass the Seattle Storm and move into eighth place in the standings. But they were unable to do so as they fell to the Liberty, 105-97. Not only that, but the Sparks a potential injury issue regarding Cameron Brink.

Cameron Brink was not on the Sparks’ bench to start the second half, and following the game, head coach Lynne Roberts gave a brief update on any injury concerns surrounding Brink. She was seen getting her ankle taped up before the start of the second half, and although she ultimately rejoined the team on the bench, she did not come back into the game.

“I have not talked to the medical team yet, but she tweaked her ankle,” Roberts said during her postgame press conference. “She’s still on a minutes restriction so the decision was made not to bring her back in.”

Brink played only a total of five minutes and finished with two points and three rebounds. The Sparks do not play again until Friday, Aug. 15 against the Dallas Wings, and more concrete update on Brink’s status will likely come right before then.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Brink had made her return to the lineup at the end of last month following her rehab from an ACL injury. She had become one of the team’s top reserves providing exceptional defense and an increased ability to space the floor with her shooting.

Coming into the Liberty game, Brink had appeared in six games for the Sparks since returning to the court at a little over 14 minutes per game. She had not surpassed 16 minutes in any game thus far as part of her minutes restriction. She had been averaging 7.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots with splits of 45.2 percent shooting from the field, 46.7 percent shooting from the three-point line and 100 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

Prior to the game, Roberts talked about the lineup versatility that the team has when Brink is on the court.

“What I love in a roster is having diversity in terms of different players bring different things. I think Cam is super athletic and long and we all know her shot blocking. But one of the benefits of rehabbing a knee is you get to do a lot of stationary shooting, she’s done a lot of that,” Roberts said. “I think with her and Dearica [Hamby] and Azurá [Stevens], all three of them are very different, and that’s what I like, is that versatility.”

“I think with her and Rickea [Jackson], Rickea at the four, I think that gives us a really fast lineup with five people that can really shoot it. And so I just think for the opposing team, that’s hard when it’s a different look when you have a different group out there,” Roberts continued. “Cam, she’s obviously a huge part of this season and our future, and I can’t wait to integrate her more and more.”

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