Who will replace Cameron Brink in USA's 3X3 Olympic roster? Listing potential players that could step in

The crowd inside Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut went quiet when Cameron Brink had to be helped off the floor with an apparent injury. Less than 24 hours later, the LA Sparks announced that their star rookie had torn her ACL. Brink’s absence will have an impact on her WNBA franchise and USA Basketball’s 3x3 team that will compete in the 2024 Olympics.

Brink cried with joy when it was announced that she was named to the same squad that she led to the gold in Austria last year. She couldn't hide her joy and excitement to be finally playing in the Olympics. A few weeks later, Team USA is scrambling to look for her replacement.

FIBA’s 3x3 rules will hinder the Americans from picking just anybody to take up the slack. Cameron Brink’s replacement has to be someone with enough qualifying points in the same competition to be allowed to play. It will be interesting to see who gets the nod to get her slot in the Olympics.

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Cameron Brink’s potential replacement in Team USA’s 3x3 spot

#3 - Katie Lou Samuelson

Katie Lou Samuelson was supposed to be on the USA women’s 3x3 team that played and won the competition in Tokyo in 2020. Samuelson, however, contacted the COVID-19 virus and was replaced by Jackie Young.

Samuelson will not have Cameron Brink’s rebounding and defense but she might easily be the team’s best shooter on the roster. The Indiana Fever guard is hitting 45.5% of her shots from deep and will unquestionably unclog the lane in Paris for Rhyne Howard.

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#2 Allisha Gray

Allisha Gray was part of Team USA’s 3x3 training camp and was also considered for the 5x5 team. Gray also doesn’t have the size, rebounding and defense of Cameron Brink but she is the much better scorer. She was an All-Star last year and is still one of the league’s best defenders in her position.

An interior combo of Gray and Rhyne Howard will be better than most teams competing in the tournament.

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#1 Dearica Hamby

USA Basketball’s limited options have to push Dearica Hamby to the top of the list. Like Gray, she was also on the 3x3 training camp before she was cut from the team that will go to the Olympics.

Hamby is having her best WNBA campaign with the LA Sparks. After moving out of the shadows of A’ja Wilson in Las Vegas, she is putting up All-Star numbers again. Like Cameron Brink, she is also 6-foot-3 and is showing her rebounding prowess this year.

Dearica Hamby comes closest to what Cameron Brink was expected to bring for Team USA in the Olympics.

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Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell could also get consideration

If the Americans are looking to replace rebounding and interior defense with shooting and playmaking, Lexie Hull and Kelsey Mitchell could get consideration as well. Coach Jennifer Rizzotti might find Rhyne Howard and the veteran Cierra Burdick enough to hold the paint. If that’s the case, she could look behind Katie Lou Samuelson and give the other two guards a closer look.

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