Two weeks ago in their season opener, the Los Angeles Sparks were destroyed by the defending champion Las Vegas Aces, 105-98. Coming out of that game, one of the biggest storylines was the limited minutes for Cameron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft. Brink played just eight minutes and had zero points, three rebounds, three turnovers and three personal fouls.
"We need Cam to produce. We need Cam to bring that defensive energy," Sparks head coach Lynn Roberts told reporters after the game. "We have so much confidence and belief in her. She's gotta get out on the floor with some confidence and do what she's capable of doing."
Well, on Saturday night in Vegas, the Sparks avenged their opening-day loss, upsetting the Aces 101-95, and Brink definitely produced.
The 24-year-old forward got her first start of the season with veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike sidelined with a hand injury, and notched a season-high 16 points, eight rebounds, one steal and one block while going 7 of 11 from the field and 2 of 5 from outside. She also showed her toughness, both literally and figuratively, after an accidental elbow by Aces forward NaLyssa Smith left her with a bloody nose. Her teammate Kelsey Plum, who had an outstanding 38-point performance on Saturday, approached Brink after the game to tell her she had done a good job.
"I'm so proud. These young kids have a lot of pressure and expectations are really high," Plum told CBS Sports postgame. "I think she's just continued to blossom and is handling herself really well... Cam is gonna be our X factor this year. We are really going to need Cam, so I'm just really proud of her."
Unfortunately, Brink only played 24 minutes because she fouled out early in the fourth quarter, letting one of the biggest liabilities of her game -- her inability to stay out of foul trouble -- taint what was otherwise a stellar night. In one game she both made the case for and against why she should get more chances in the starting lineup.
PLUM TO BRINK! What a beautiful bucket for the @LASparks pic.twitter.com/JpGdYcM8ve
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 24, 2026
A case for starting
The former Stanford star is known for her shot-blocking ability, but she can be impactful in multiple areas. She is 6-foot-4 tall with an intimidating 6-foot-8 wingspan, which is a dangerous combination with her physicality and how well she moves. Besides blocking, crashing the boards and making good passes, she can be a versatile offensive weapon for the Sparks as a versatile forward who shoots from beyond the arc. Through the first six games of the season, Brink is averaging 9.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. Most notably, she has 1.7 blocks per contest -- currently fifth-best in the league.
Cameron Brink with the put back at the buzzer 🔥 The @LASparks lead the defending champs by two after the first quarter pic.twitter.com/u6uPqp2C0p
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) May 24, 2026
While this is Brink's third year in the WNBA, she only played a total of 34 games combined in her first two seasons, which means she has had significantly less pro experience than other 2024 rookies such as Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark and Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese.
Brink was a starter during her rookie season, which was looking very promising before it was cut short due to a torn ACL and torn meniscus in her left knee in just her 15th game. She returned 13 months later, but did not make it back in the starting lineup in 2025. While she averaged just 12.8 minutes per contest during the 19 games she played during her sophomore year, it was understandable why the Sparks would want to ease her back into things after such a catastrophic injury.
Brink is in an interesting position right now because what she showed on Saturday was a great step toward earning more trust -- and minutes -- from Roberts. However, staying in the starting lineup after Ogwumike returns might be difficult because the veteran player has been a reliable asset for the team. Ogwumike is averaging 31.6 minutes per game while Dearica Hamby, who re-signed in the offseason, is giving the team 30.8 minutes per contest. They are currently the starting frontcourt players, but the almost 18 minutes per game Brink contributes have also been important.
"She erases a lot of mistakes out there," Ogwumike said. "Being able to be out there and know that she has my back, and we're looking for each other to be in good spots to do well."
An ongoing problem
Saturday was a productive night for Brink, but fouling out when Las Vegas still had a chance to make a comeback did not make things easier on the Sparks. Whether or not all the calls were deserved, Brink has been struggling with foul trouble long before getting to the WNBA. She fouled out 14 times during her time at Stanford, including Senior Day and in back-to-back games in her last NCAA Tournament.
"I don't want anyone to get an and-one, so I'm going to use my fouls," Brink told CBS Sports last summer. "I've always struggled with foul trouble but it's because I'm an aggressive player. I'm still working on it."
She has registered at least three fouls in every game this season. Saturday was her second time fouling out in 2026, as it also happened a week ago during the Sparks' 106-96 loss to the Toronto Tempo.
And there is an added difficulty this season. After complaints from coaches and players about referees allowing too much physicality and inconsistency in calls, the WNBA made some rule changes in the offseason and officiating has become stricter. This will naturally lead to more fouls getting called, at least early on, and likely means an adjustment period for players like Brink.
She still frequently got in foul trouble last season, but only fouled out once in 2025 -- it took her just 13 minutes to notch six fouls against Seattle in September.
Next up, Brink and the rest of the Sparks will hit the road and play back-to-back games against the Washington Mystics and Connecticut Sun on Friday and Saturday.
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