Unrivaled could trigger perfect LA Sparks run for one simple reason

Cameron Brink entered the WNBA as one of the top players in the 2024 WNBA Draft. After a stellar career at Stanford, she looked ready to take the W by storm as well. An ACL tear slowed down her rise to stardom, as it kept her out of the second half of her rookie season and the first part of her sophomore season. Brink was available for 19 games in 2025, but only played limited minutes off the bench. 

Next season will be a big outing for Brink and the Sparks. It will be Brink’s first full WNBA season—barring any other injuries—and the Sparks have to prove that trading for Kelsey Plum instead of drafting another young prospect was the right move. Getting a big season out of Brink will be the key to the Sparks’ success. 

Unrivaled will play a big role in preparing Brink for her most important WNBA season yet. 

Cameron Brink will finally make her Unrivaled debut

Brink was already a part of Unrivaled in the league’s first season, but couldn’t play due to her ACL tear. So, Brink will make her long-awaited debut this winter, suiting up for Breeze BC alongside Paige Bueckers, Rickea Jackson, Kate Martin, Dominique Malonga, and Aari McDonald. Breeze BC promises to be one of the most entertaining teams in Unrivaled with all of its young star power. 

Playing on Breeze BC will give Brink a chance to get reps with her Sparks teammate Rickea Jackson and build chemistry with her. Brink and Jackson are the Sparks’ young cornerstones, but, due to Brink’s injury, they haven’t gotten to share the court much yet. 

More importantly, it will allow Brink to play actual, meaningful basketball games without having to take it slow. Brink returned from her injury in early August. By the time Unrivaled kicks off in early January, she will be five months removed from that and able to play heavier minutes. 

Unrivaled’s fast-paced 3-on-3 format will get Brink into great shape ahead of her first full WNBA season and allow her to work on her outside shot, inside game, and rim protection. 

Los Angeles is chasing a playoff spot

Despite having veteran All-Stars Kelsey Plum and Dearica Hamby on the roster, the Sparks missed out on a playoff spot. They struggled defensively and weren’t able to hang with some of the better teams in the league, especially early on in the season when they were still building chemistry. None of that was very unexpected. The Sparks brought in a new key player and a rookie head coach and missed Brink for most of the season. 

Missing the playoffs once was not the end of the world, but it still upped the pressure on the team to win in the 2026 season. Brink’s defensive presence will be key to turning around one of the Sparks’ biggest weaknesses.