The Los Angeles Sparks have been waiting over a year for Cameron Brink to return to the court. The former Stanford star’s ACL injury last June robbed LA of their promising rookie center, leaving a massive void in the lineup that’s still being felt today.
When Will Cameron Brink Return to the Los Angeles Sparks?
Brink’s absence has been felt massively by the struggling (7-14) Sparks. The center is yet to lace up this season as she continues to rehab after an ACL injury cut her promising rookie season short last year.
The former Cardinal played just 15 games last season, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per contest. She suffered the devastating season-ending injury during the team’s 79-70 loss to the Connecticut Sun in June last year.
While Brink will miss the Tuesday night skirmish against the Mystics, the Sparks have good news over the horizon with the F/C expected to return to action by the end of the month. According to John W. Davis of the Long Beach Press-Telegram, who earlier dropped a major update on her injury, LA head coach Lynne Roberts was hopeful that Brink would be available by the end of July.
Exclusive: LA Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts on Cameron Brink hopefully returning by the end of July and the team’s playoff push over the last 24 regular season games.
Coach Roberts said the team’s defense needs to hold opponents to about 8 less points in their pursuit to win. pic.twitter.com/FGX7M3ESM5
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) July 12, 2025
The team returns from their All-Star break and will be looking for a desperate dash to make the playoffs. “Hopefully, we’ll get her back by the end of the month,” Roberts said in his latest.
What Challenges Will Brink Face Upon Her Return?
While Brink’s availability, possibly in late July, comes as welcome news, the Sparks will be aware of the immediate challenges that lie ahead. To start with, the No. 2 pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft has not played competitive basketball in over a year. Secondly, the rust factor and adjusting to Roberts’ style of play will take some time.
LA is 7-14 as the season hits the halfway mark. Despite Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby’s solid outings, the team has won just three of its last ten games. Momentum and consistency issues have been key concerns for the Sparks, with injuries further exacerbating their woes.
From a playoff perspective, the Fever hold the No. 6 seed with an 11-10 record, while the Washington Mystics and Golden State Valkyries sit seventh and eighth at 11-10 and 10-11, respectively.
The Sparks have been dismal at home with a 2-8 record, but their away mark sees them at 5-6.
Brink’s presence will bring much-needed two-way impact for LA, and the team will hope that the rest of the team makes a desperate and determined push in their 22 second-half games to give themselves a chance to make the postseason.
On the game front, the Mystics vs. Sparks showdown tips off at 10 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena. Local coverage will be on Spectrum SportsNet and Monumental Sports Network. The game can also be watched on the WNBA app with a subscription to the WNBA League Pass.
