Cameron Brink will miss the 3×3 basketball competition at the upcoming Olympic Games due to a devastating ACL injury, prompting speculation that Caitlin Clark could play in Paris

An announcement Wednesday from the Los Angeles Sparks revealed that star rookie Cameron Brink suffered a torn ACL, ruling her out for the remainder of the WNBA season and the 3×3 basketball competition at this summer’s Olympic Games.

The devastating injury led some fans on social media to consider fellow rookie sensation Caitlin Clark to fill Brink’s role in Paris after her controversial snub from the 5×5 roster. But FIBA player eligibility regulations make Clark ineligible as a replacement.

Each of the eight participating nations will send a four-person squad to Paris, with two top-10 players from the country’s individual rankings and two players that are either inside the top 50 or have the minimum number of points. These individual rankings are determined by an athlete’s performance in various international 3×3 competitions and Clark is ineligible due to her lack of experience in the 3×3 element of the sport.

While Brink enjoyed a standout senior season at Stanford before sparking Rookie of the Year talks with a strong start in Los Angeles, she was also forging her “unicorn skillset” with the Team USA 3×3 squad. The 6-foot-4 center displays potent 3-point scoring and an unusual perimeter skillset for a big, which she credits in part to this unique style of basketball.

“As a post player, I think it [3×3 basketball] gives me an opportunity to grow my game,” Brink said. “I have to be able to shoot, I have to handle the ball when I clear it out past the three-point line. I have to defend all positions and be able to guard a ball screen—not just guarding the post defender but guarding the guard. It is a really good opportunity for me to grow as an all-around player and take me outside of my comfort zone.”

Brink won MVP of the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup

Image: Getty Images)

Brink was named MVP of the 2023 FIBA 3×3 World Cup, leading the United States with eight points in a semifinal victory over China. The 22-year-old was joined in Vienna by Cierra Burdick and Hailey Van Lith, who were also selected to this year’s team, along with Linnae Harper. Rhyne Howard was named as the fourth player for his summer’s games; despite not ranking within the top 250 of the international rankings, she has picked up recent international experience at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series Springfield Stop.

A like-for-like replacement for Brink may not be necessary, as Burdick stands at a formidable 6’3 while Howard is a lengthy 6’2 guard. The list of unselected American players who rank in the world’s top 250 includes several interesting names to fans of the college game, including recent Iowa transfer Lucy Olsen and star Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers. The complete list can be found below:

Arica Carter – 5-foot-9

Camille Zimmerman – 6-foot-2

Blake Dietrick – 5-foot-10

Madison Teonie Christiana Scott – 6-foot-1

Azana Baines – 6-foot-1

Carolina Littlefield – 5-foot-9

Lucy Olsen – 5-foot-11

Christian Dalce – 6-foot-3

Sydney Taylor 5-foot-9

Mogan Maly 6-foot-1

Mara Braun 6-foot-1

Leilani Kapinus 5-foot-10

Shyanne Sellers 6-foot-3

Breanna Richardson 6-foot-1