In a devastating blow to the Los Angeles Sparks, rookie forward Cameron Brink has torn the ACL in her left knee, as confirmed by the team on Wednesday. The Sparks expressed their intention to provide a further update on her condition in the near future, but such injuries typically result in the premature end of a player's season.

The injury occurred during the first quarter of the Sparks' 79-70 defeat to the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night. Standing at 6 feet 4 inches, Brink had to be assisted off the court after playing under four minutes and committing one foul. As the pain intensified, she was unable to proceed to the locker room and had to be carried off the court by two Sparks personnel.

Expressing her disappointment, Brink took to Instagram and wrote, "You never think it will happen to you. And despite all the hard work sometimes it does. This is hard to fathom but I know it will only make me stronger. I will not be derailed and I will continue to love this life. I'm not defined by basketball, but it is something that I love deeply and I will work every day to get back to it. It's not goodbye basketball; it's just a see you later. I'm always so thankful for your thoughts and prayers."

Prior to the injury, 22-year-old Brink had been having an impressive debut season for the Sparks, averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. Her shot-blocking ability placed her in a tie with A'ja Wilson for the second-most blocks in the WNBA. Brink quickly established herself as a popular figure both on and off the court during her short professional career.

Los Angeles Sparks coach Curt Miller expressed his frustration, stating, "Except for the 2019 season, I've lost a starter to injury every single year I've been a head coach in this league. You just have to have the mentality of the next person up and rally around it."

In addition to her WNBA commitments, Brink was also selected to represent the United States in the 3x3 team for this summer's Paris Olympics. With her season-ending injury, Team USA will now have to find a replacement for Brink.

Despite the setback, the Sparks are now preparing for two upcoming games against the New York Liberty on Thursday and Saturday. The team will have to regroup and find ways to overcome the absence of their promising rookie as they push forward in the remainder of the season.