Cameron Brink posts somber message after tearing ACL before Olympics

WNBA star Cameron Brink is speaking out after the devastating injury that likely ended her rookie year — and sidelined her Olympic dream.

The Los Angeles Sparks forward, 22, suffered a torn ACL during a game against the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday, June 18 after apparently slipping while making contact with Sun forward Brionna Jones. After the play, Brink was helped off the field and carried to the locker room by her teammates.

“You never think this will happen to you,” the No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft wrote on Instagram on Wednesday (June 19). “And despite all the hard work, sometimes it happens. It’s hard to understand but I know it will only make me stronger.

Brink continued: “I will not derail and I will continue to love this life. I am not defined by basketball, but it is something I love deeply and I will work every day to get back to it. This is not a goodbye to basketball, it’s just a see you later I’m still very grateful for your thoughts and prayers 💜💛 #delayednotdenied.”

In the comments, fellow actress Angel Reese was among those who sent well wishes.

“I love you Barbie doll!” Reese, 22, wrote, while other WNBA stars, including Sabrina Ionescu, A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, offered words of encouragement.

Ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Washington Mystics, Caitlin Clark shared her thoughts on what she called a “devastating injury.”

“I know she’s the type of person who will be able to get through this and come out stronger,” Clark, 22, said.

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The injury comes as Brink was acclimating to the WNBA — where she averaged 7.5 points per game and 1.7 assists — and on the eve of what would have been her first Olympics.

Earlier this month, the Stanford product learned she had made the 3×3 team for the Paris Olympics, where she would have joined TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and Cierra Burdick.

“It was absolutely surreal, I didn’t expect it at all, but I worked really hard to achieve it. I love the coaches, the committee, everything, so I’m just beyond grateful,” Brink said at the time. “I am very excited about becoming an Olympian. This has been a dream my whole life and the opportunity to win a gold medal, especially with this group. So, you know, I honestly can’t even put it into words. It’s crazy.”