WNBA star responds to claim she prioritizes ‘red carpets’ over rehabbing injury

Ten games into her second

WNBA

season, former Oregon high school star

Cameron Brink

remains sidelined with a knee injury that she

suffered nearly a year ago

Many basketball fans are, of course, anticipating the return of the 6-foot-4 player who starred at Southridge and Mountainside high schools in Oregon before moving on to Stanford and then the Los Angeles Sparks. But one online commenter crossed the line from anticipation to criticism of Brink, and the Sparks forward wasn’t having it.

Brink, who tore the ACL in her left knee during a game against the Connecticut Sun on June 18, 2024, posted the critical comment on

her Instagram

stories Monday, along with a response in which she said emphatically that basketball is her top priority.

The commenter wrote, in part: “She should’ve been back on the court now, and something tells me that if she put as much work into rehab as she puts into walking down red carpets and schmoozing, she’d be back by now. As a Los Angeles Sparks fan, I am very perturbed by this.”

Brink, 23, responded, in part: “I’m working INCREDIBLY hard every day. I would give anything to be out on the court right now. Basketball is my passion and everything to me … to say this you aren’t a real fan. Thank you to those who understand ACLs can take a year & giving me grace. I cannot wait until I get to play again.”

Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, averaged 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks across 15 games last season before suffering the injury.

—

Joel Odom

writes about trending topics in news, life and culture, and sports. Reach him at 503-221-8594,

jodom@oregonian.com

or

@jkodom on Blue Sky

.