LOS ANGELES — Sparks forward Cameron Brink has expressed her discomfort over the online reactions to the team’s recent call for male practice players.

The Los Angeles Sparks went public last week, asking men to try out for their practice squad, which resulted in an overwhelming response that forced the team to halt further applications.

While Brink does not oppose the idea of practicing against men, she was taken aback by the nature of some online comments referencing her and her teammates, Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, and Kelsey Plum. During an episode of her podcast 'Straight to Cam,' co-hosted with Sydel Curry-Lee, Brink shared her thoughts candidly.

“My confession is I'm really icked out by the potential new practice players,” Brink stated. She noted that typically, they work with college players from USC, which have established a more comfortable practice atmosphere.

She highlighted the gender dynamics within the comments, saying, “All the comments are like, 'Let Cameron Brink back me down' or about Rickea and Kelsey. Who are we trusting coming into this gym?” Brink's concerns shed light on the larger societal issues surrounding gender in sports and how women's leagues often navigate the complexities of integrating male players.

At 23, Brink is already a prominent figure in women’s basketball, having won an NCAA championship with Stanford in 2021 before being selected second overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Sparks. The 6-foot-4 defensive star humorously added that during practices with male players, she wouldn’t be boxing out for rebounds. “Lynne [Roberts], our new coach, is going to be screaming at me for not rebounding, but I'm not boxing out anyone,” she joked.

The Sparks are gearing up for their season opener against the newly launched Golden State Valkyries on May 16 in San Francisco. Fans are excited to see how the team will adapt and integrate the swath of new practice players—if they decide to proceed—and how it may affect their training strategies leading into the season.

Stay tuned for further updates as this story unfolds, and keep an eye on the Sparks' approach to maintaining a supportive and focused practice environment amidst the buzz.