"Their amazing genes got passed down to me": When Cameron Brink expressed gratitude for her successful former D1 athlete parents

In an exclusive 2021 interview with Whistle, Los Angeles Sparks' Cameron Brink expressed gratitude to her parents for passing down their attributes to her. The 6-foot-4 forward is one of the most dominant bigs in women's basketball thanks to her size, agility and ability to move on the court.

When Brink was coming off her NCAA championship stint with Stanford, she credited her gifts to her parents during a beach outing.

"I guess I've kind of always been able to move pretty well for my size, I mean both my parents played division one basketball at Virginia Tech, she said (at 2:18).

"So, I think their amazing genes got passed down to me, I feel really thankful to have my height. I used to be really insecure about it but now I'm extremely thankful for it and it helps me do what I love."

Cameron Brink's parents, Greg Brink and Michelle Bain-Brink, represented Virginia Tech in the 1980s. Greg, a 6-foot-8 forward, played four years with the program, averaging 5.4 points and 5.4 rebounds on 53.9% shooting across 75 games. He made the Metropolitan Collegiate Athletic's top 10 list for blocks and rebounds in the 1987-88 season.

Michelle averaged 11.4 points and 6.5 rebounds on 52.7% shooting through 85 games as a 6-foot-4 center. She played three years for the school and was in the MCA conference's top 10 for points, blocks, rebounds and field goal percentage.

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Cameron Brink's mother inspired her to be in the WNBA

While Cameron Brink credits her parents for introducing her to basketball, she says that her mother inspired her to truly follow a profession in the sport. She shared this sentiment during an interview at the 2024 WNBA draft, where she was selected second overall by the Sparks.

"Growing up, I was first introduced to the league because my mom was product line manager at Nike and worked on Dawn Staley's signature shoe, worked with Tamika Catchings and Jenn Rizzotti ... I think I gre up just having so much admiration for these women."

As a former frontcourt anchor herself, Michelle Bain-Brink also helped Cameron Brink navigate the world of fashion, style and self-love.