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Cameron Brink is not fond of the possibility of practicing alongside male athletes.
Last week, the Los Angeles Sparks instructed, via a social media post, male athletes to fill out a waiver and register for practice squad tryouts.
Brink said she was “icked out” by the WNBA franchise’s call for male practice players.
“I guess my confession is I’m really icked out by the potential new practice players,” Brink said.
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Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks warms up before the game against the Las Vegas Aces on June 9, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
She then pointed to some of the provocative commentary she saw amid the reaction to the posted flier, which featured a photo of her and some of her teammates.
“It’s basically just a flier, it’s like me, Dearica [Hamby], Rickea [Jackson] and Kelsey [Plum], and it’s like, ‘Male practice players wanted.’ And usually we use USC college guys that also do it for the women’s team at USC. And all the comments are like, ‘Let Cameron Brink back me down,’ or something about Rickea or something about Kelsey.” Brink said during a recent edition of the “Straight to Cam” podcast.
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Brink then expressed her preference for male athletes should the practice dynamics change in the near future.
“Now I’m like, we need to heavily vet these men, preferably they’re gay. … Who are we trusting to come into this gym,” she said.
Podcast co-host Sydel Curry-Lee also floated a suggestion by saying the potential incoming athletes “need to go through heavy HR training.”
Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks looks on during the game against the Sky on May 30, 2024, at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Sparks eventually closed the practice squad application window due to “overwhelming” demand.
“Thank you for your interest in our Practice Player Tryouts at the Los Angeles Sparks. Due to the overwhelming number of applicants we have received, we will not be processing any more applications. We appreciate your time and interest with our organization,” a statement posted to the registration website read as of Tuesday.
While Brink acknowledged that she made the comments in jest, she also pointed to the differences in physicality that practicing about males could present.
“I’m not boxing anyone out,” she said. “Lynne [Roberts], our new coach, is going to be screaming at me for not rebounding. But I’m not boxing out anyone.”
Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket during the game against the Aces on May 18, 2024, at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Many women’s college basketball teams have utilized male practice players. At the WNBA level, the New York Liberty have sought out male athletes via socia media. The team said male practice players undergo evaluations to determine whether they are a “good fit” and to rule out any “ulterior motives.”
“We try to fit positional needs, but also physical needs, as far as height and strength,” a Liberty spokesperson told the New York Post last June. “But the most important piece is making sure they’re going to be a good fit and do what we need them to do and not use this to try and get a contract with a team or get an in with the players or have any ulterior motives.”
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The Sparks said the team always works to foster a respectful environment for its athletes and pointed to the emphasis it places on player safety.
“To clarify, as always for our practice squad tryouts, no Sparks players will participate or be in attendance,” the team said in a statement. “The use of male practice players is a well-established practice in both the WNBA and women’s college basketball, and the Sparks have utilized this approach since the league’s inception in 1997.
“Additionally, any players selected for the practice squad will undergo a thorough background check process to ensure the safety and well-being of our athletes.”
Brink was the second overall pick in last year’s WNBA Draft. She suffered a season-ending ACL injury in June. She averaged 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds over 15 games during her rookie season.
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