Cameron Brink 'Tired' Of Narrative Surrounding Caitlin Clark, Rookie Class

Caitlin Clark has stolen most of the thunder from the 2024 WNBA rookie class (deservedly so). For fellow rookie Cameron Brink, who was selected right after Clark in the draft, there's a narrative about the season that she would like to see go away.

In an interview with Megan Armstrong of Uproxx, Brink was asked what she felt was the most tiring narrative in women's sports. Brink responded that she's tired of the narrative that rookies "need to be perfect." She feels that Clark has gotten heat for that particular narrative more than anyone but finds that the narrative in general is "exhausting" and "unrealistic."

"Oh, that’s a great question. The most tired narrative is that the vets are against the rookies — this old-school versus new-school narrative — and the narrative that the rookies need to be perfect. I feel like Caitlin Clark has that the worst right now, but even I get that. She had three points the other night [against New York on June 2]. I had three points the other night [against Indiana on May 28]. We’re expected to be perfect. We were drafted to high-drafting teams coming off of losing seasons, which is fine," Brink said.

"It’s a learning process. But people expect us to be perfect, and it’s freaking exhausting. I feel like we learn how to tune it out, but still, it’s unrealistic, and it kind of just shows that people don’t know basketball."

Brink has been enjoying a solid rookie season of her own, putting up a few big performances throughout the young campaign. But the Sparks are still only 2-6 - the third-worst record in the league.

Growing pains are to be expected in most sports that rely heavily on rookie players learning on the job. Even in the NFL, not all rookies taken in the top few picks are superstars in their rookie year and some don't ever become great.

Do you agree with Brink? Do people need to lay off with the expectations?