The Sparks’ Cameron Brink is redefining what it means to be a young WNBA star

After 13 months out with a torn ACL, the Sparks' rising star has returned to the WNBA with renewed purpose, a sharpened game and a determination to help others

It's the fourth quarter of a tense, close bout in Los Angeles between the hometown Sparks and the Indiana Fever. The game has serious playoff implications for both teams, so every bucket feels fraught, and it's going down to the wire. Cameron Brink, the 6ft 4in second-year Sparks center with an unmistakable Rapunzel-esque blonde braid has fouled out of the game, but you wouldn't know it from her enthusiasm on the bench. No one is clapping harder, cheering louder, for her teammates.

That's fundamental to who Brink is, according to everyone I talk to around the team in their final push for the playoffs in recent weeks - the Sparks are in a battle with Seattle Storm for the final spot. Brink is one of the brightest young stars in the W, securing a slew of endorsements (including a high-profile deal with New Balance which made her the first female basketball player on their talent roster), but Brink is a far cry from the myopic, self-centered stereotype of a star.