Cameron Brink

Michael Conroy/AP

Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink isn’t buying the theory that WNBA veterans are trying to tear down rookies like her and Caitlin Clark.

Over the weekend, Clark again found herself at the center attention when Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter committed a foul by shoving her to the ground. The WNBA later upgraded it to a flagrant foul. Although Carter later explained it was a heat-of-the-moment act that’s simply part of her competitive nature, it didn’t stop many in the media from using the incident to push the idea that players in the league are jealous of Clark. Some even went as far as saying WNBA players resented Clark — as well as others in the 2024 draft class — because of how popular she is.

In a recent interview with UPROXX, Brink flatly refuted the narrative.

“The most tired narrative is that the vets are against the rookies — this old-school vs. new-school narrative — and the narrative that the rookies need to be perfect,” Brink said. “I feel like Caitlin Clark has that the worst right now, but even I get that. She had three points the other night [against New York on June 2]. I had three points the other night [against Indiana on May 28]. We’re expected to be perfect. We were drafted to high-drafting teams coming off of losing seasons, which is fine. It’s a learning process. But people expect us to be perfect, and it’s freaking exhausting. I feel like we learn how to tune it out, but still, it’s unrealistic, and it kind of just shows that people don’t know basketball.”

While talking about her interactions with WNBA legend Diana Taurasi, Brink again brought up just how wrong she thinks the narrative is.

“Just yesterday, [during the Sparks’ 87-68 loss in Phoenix], we were at the free throw line, and she came up to me, and she was like, ‘You’re gonna be dealing with this shit for another 20 years,’” Brink continued. “And I looked at her and was like, ‘I feel like I’m gonna get cut next year if I keep playing this way.’ So, we both were laughing.”

“She’s really great. And, like I said before, the narrative that the veterans are not supporting us could not be further from the truth because she is literally one of my favorite people. It’s just annoying.”