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Cameron Brink Sends Message to Angel Reese on Wednesday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 3:28 PM ET

It has been a challenging 2025 season for Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky. The team has managed just two wins in its first eight games, and Reese has found herself at the center of scrutiny despite posting solid individual numbers.

Reese is averaging 10.1 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, but Chicago sits in fifth place in the six-team Eastern Conference with a 2-6 record. Following the Sky's most recent loss, teammate Ariel Atkins came to Reese’s defense with a strong message:

"This is a 23-year-old kid and the amount of crap she gets on a daily basis ... she still shows up,” Atkins said.

On Wednesday, Reese posted a montage of herself in uniform with inspirational quotes and a caption that read:

“Every successful person you admire survived a season you didn’t see. Idols turn into rivals. Everything becomes about survival.”

What caught the attention of fans and players alike was a response from Los Angeles Sparks forward Cameron Brink, who replied simply with:

“❤️❤️❤️”

Brink, a 6-foot-4 forward, played college basketball for the Stanford Cardinal from 2020 to 2024. She was the second overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, the same class that included Reese and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, now in their second seasons.

Brink appeared in 15 games as a rookie, starting all of them and averaging 22 minutes per contest. She posted 7.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game before suffering a torn ACL in a June 18 game against the Connecticut Sun, exiting early in the first quarter. She is expected back before the end of this season.

Reese, drafted seventh overall by Chicago, played her college ball for the Maryland Terrapins and LSU Tigers. In her rookie year, she led the WNBA in rebounds with 13.1 per game.

Atkins, reflecting further on Reese’s role and public perception, shared more heartfelt thoughts:

“This is a 23-year-old kid who handles herself with grace," she said. "Her crown is heavy. Y’all want to come at her for the way she acts, but she has to build the wall. She has to have the wall because if she doesn’t, people will break her down. Not just because of how she looks, but because of how she carries herself. She knows who she is, and we’re not gonna break her down for that. The kid’s crown is heavy. Respect that.”

The Sky are back on the road Friday in Atlanta to face the Dream and will square off against Connecticut on Sunday.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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