Cameron Brink has a favorable early read on her newest LA Sparks teammate. After Monique Akoa Makani logged her first real minutes in a Sparks uniform, Brink praised the latest guard acquired in last week's WNBA trade with the Phoenix Mercury.
In the 95-88 road loss to the Chicago Sky, Akoa Makani logged 16 minutes off the bench. She finished with three points, one rebound and two assists on 1-of-5 shooting. Still, she steadied the second unit and kept the offense in rhythm.
"Honestly I think she's going to be an amazing fit for us. She's super coachable, she's already such a great teammate," Brink said postgame. "Defensively she's going to help us so much."
How Monique Akoa Makani Complements Cameron Brink, LA Sparks
That fit showed a night later in Minnesota. The Sparks upset the WNBA-leading Lynx 89-82 to snap a 10-game winning streak. A Brink block then set up an Akoa Makani jumper during a late LA run.
Before the trade, however, Akoa Makani appeared in 19 games for Phoenix and started 16. She averaged 9.1 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals on 43.9% shooting and 43.6% from beyond the arc.
Akoa Makani, a Cameroon native and 2025 All-Rookie selection, remains under contract beyond this season. That gives coach Lynne Roberts the rest of the schedule to sort out her role.
