Cameron Brink is shining in Hollywood during her WNBA rookie season

Cameron Brink is already showing early on in her rookie season that she is going to be something special in the WNBA.
Los Angeles Sparks v Las Vegas Aces
Los Angeles Sparks v Las Vegas Aces / Ethan Miller/GettyImages
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We saw Cameron Brink shine in Palo Alto during her time at Stanford. Then, when the LA Sparks took her with the second overall pick, it was love at first sight.

Standing 6-foot-4, Brink isn't just a player who grabs rebounds and is always looking to post up in the paint. She could be the best two-way player in this year's draft class. Through three games in the WNBA, Brink has done nothing but grab the league's attention and show that she is the real deal. And it's only the first week of the regular season.

Going into the draft, many prospects worried about Brink's foul trouble issues throughout her college career. But so far, in the early stages of her rookie season, she has yet to collect six fouls in one game, although she is averaging 5.8 fouls per 36 minutes and continuing to cut that back will be key for her development.

The former All-American has contributed instantly to the Sparks on both ends. Her shot-blocking has been a major factor for the Sparks' defense and her two blocks at the end of Tuesday's game against Washington led the Sparks to their first win of the season.

Cameron Brink is already making winning plays for the Sparks

Brink is already making a winning impact, which helps her stand out among other notable rookies who are putting up numbers but haven't been able to impact the standings just yet.

In her second game of the season, she racked up eight defensive rebounds, a steal and five blocks. That battle was against two-time MVP A'ja Wilson. Brink made an impression on the champion, to which Wilson gave her praise after the game.

"She has a really bright future," Wilson said of Brink. "I'm glad the Sparks drafted her because I feel like that's a great franchise for her to really grow. And that franchise is going to grow around her."

Even though she went just 2-for-2 from the field in that game, her defense and all-around performance made a big impact.

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Brink's unique aspect is that she has a rare blend of offensive and defensive skills. She is averaging a well-balanced 6.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.7 blocks, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, filling up the stat sheet. She hasn't hit a 3-pointer since the two she made on opening night but her range is going to expand as she gets more experienced. Being a reliable spot-up shooter at her height could make her a WNBA unicorn.

Only seven players in NBA or WNBA history have more than Brinks's 11 blocks through the first three games of their professional career. She has excellent timing in the paint and rotations as a helper, making the Sparks' defense difficult for opponents. With her size, she has an amazing first step and can get right past any defender one-on-one. After she creates that separation, she makes great plays finding open teammates or finding her shot.

There aren't many rookies ever that have shown these kinds of defensive and offensive skills so early in their careers. She is going to be a special player for sure.

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