WNBA star fires back at fan who criticized injury rehab: 'Red carpets and schmoozing'

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Suffering a torn ACL requires one of the longest recovery periods that a sports star can go through, often seeing athletes sidelined for a year or more.

But one WNBA fan hit out at L.A. Sparks star Cameron Brink for her priorities during the rehab process from the devastating injury, suggesting that the sophomore has been making few too many extracurricular appearances.

“She should’ve been back on the court now and something tells me that if she put as much work into rehab as she puts into walking down red carpets and schmoozing, she’d be back by now,” the fan wrote, which Brink later shared on her Instagram Story.

The commenter also pointed out that Brink made several “public appearances with no brace, crutches or anything.”

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The comment elicited a fiery response from Brink, who said the commenter was not “a real fan.”

“I’m working INCREDIBLY hard every day,” Brink wrote. “I would give anything to be out on the court right now. Basketball is my passion and everything to me… to say this you aren’t a real fan.

“Thank you to those who understand ACLs can take a year & giving me grace. I cannot wait until I get to play again.”

Brink was the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s WNBA draft, behind only Caitlin Clark, and has been out of action since suffering the knee injury during a game last June.

While rehabbing, Brink has been busy away from the court.

She posed for this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue and attended Paris Fashion Week. She also has modelled for several ads and magazines over the past year.

However, Brink has been a team player, despite not being able to compete. The former Stanford hoops star, who boasts 1.4 million followers on Instagram, has been travelling with the Sparks and cheering them on from the sidelines.

Sparks coach Lynne Roberts also said earlier this month that Brink has been doing some on-court work, but a date hasn’t been set for her return.