Cameron Brink ‘icked out’ by potential male Sparks practice players

Cameron Brink shared that she’s become “icked out” about the potential male practice players that the Sparks are welcoming in for tryouts next month.

The WNBA star was discussing the topic during the “Straight to Cam” podcast she hosts with content creator Sydel Curry-Lee when she revealed her discomfort with the idea after seeing a social media post by the Sparks elicited uncomfortable responses from over-enthusiastic men. 

“I guess my confession is I’m really icked out by the potential new practice players,” Brink told Curry-Lee in a clip posted to social media. “It’s basically just a flyer, it’s like me, Dearica [Hamby], Rickea [Jackson], and Kelsey [Plum], and it’s like, ‘Male practice players wanted.’ And usually we use USC college guys that also do it for the women’s team at USC. And all the comments are like, ‘Let Cameron Brink back me down,’ or something about Rickea or something about Kelsey.

“Now I’m like, we need to heavily vet these men, preferably they’re gay. … Who are we trusting to come into this gym.” 

Curry-Lee also commented that whoever is brought in “they need to go through heavy HR training.”

Brink also expressed although she may have been joking — that it could impact her physicality in practice. 

“I’m not boxing anyone out,” Brink said. “Lynne [Roberts], our new coach, is gonna be screaming at me for not rebounding. But I’m not boxing out anyone.”

The practice of using male players has been a long-running one for women’s college basketball teams and one that the defending WNBA champion Liberty has utilized for years. 

We’re looking for male practice players for the 2025 season. Do you have what it takes?

Join us for tryouts:
📅 Saturday, April 12
⏰ 10-12 PM
📍 El Camino College

Register & fill out the waiver today: https://t.co/pZwGxFj9IZ pic.twitter.com/Is794FF0PA

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) March 9, 2025

The Liberty had also used social media posts to spread the word when they were looking for male practice players. 

The Liberty’s basketball operations coordinator told The Post in a feature last year about the fit that practice players need to have to be evaluated for the job. 

“We try to fit positional needs, but also physical needs, as far as height and strength,” Parker said. “But the most important piece is making sure they’re gonna be a good fit and do what we need them to do and not use this to try and get a contract with a team or get an in with the players or have any ulterior motives.”

The Sparks tryout is scheduled to take place on April 12 at El Camino College. 

Brink is entering her second season in the WNBA after being taken No. 2 overall in last year’s draft. 

She quickly showed promise in the league, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per night, before she suffered a torn ACL in June just 15 games into the season.