The No. 1 negotiation skill that has helped WNBA star Cameron Brink secure deals with New Balance, Skims, and other brands.

At 22 years old, Cameron Brink had to quickly learn how to value her worth as an WNBA star.

At Stanford University, Brink was named New Balance's first female basketball ambassador and later entered the professional basketball world with an NIL valuation of over $200,000, according to Sports Illustrated.

The Los Angeles Sparks will pay the second-overall pick of the 2024 WNBA Draft, who earned $76,535 in her rookie season, $78,066 next year.

Brink, despite suffering a torn ACL in June that halted her rookie season, has maintained her momentum off the court. She has secured partnerships with notable brands such as Icy Hot, Urban Decay, Skims, and SoFi.

"My journey to build my confidence in negotiations has been challenging, but I remind myself that my skills and hard work are valuable," Brink wrote in an email to CNBC Make It. "Young women should know that it's okay to ask for what we deserve — if we don't speak up for ourselves, no one else will do it for us."

Dearica Hamby and Steph Curry are among the seasoned professionals that Brink looks up to for guidance in honing her negotiation skills.

Brink asserts that the crucial step she takes to prepare for any negotiation is to research the companies she is dealing with.

"I want to determine if they are financially stable and have potential for growth; I've discovered that company websites can be a helpful resource to begin with," Brink states. "My self-assurance has grown through my experiences in each partnership and meeting, as I learn what I want to modify for the next deal."

DON'T MISS: The ultimate guide to negotiating a higher salary

Neglecting research before negotiation is a common mistake.

A senior manager at Amazon and career coach, Adam Broda, has over a decade of experience in the hiring field. He asserts that one of the most frequent and expensive blunders individuals make during salary negotiations is requesting a higher salary without providing a justification for their demand or presenting evidence to support it.

He stated that if you don't provide a logical chain of reasoning behind the numbers you're presenting, it may appear as though you're simply trying to make money. Additionally, it could make you seem "insincere or self-serving."

Another approach Brink has employed to enhance her confidence and hone her business skills is by establishing a network of "reliable mentors" to provide guidance on how to handle negotiations.

Sponsorships can be crucial in a league where player salaries remain low.

Last year, Taylor Burner, a former agent for the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), revealed to Vogue Business that the highest-paid athletes in the WNBA earn around $250,000 annually, while one brand deal can fetch anywhere from $300,000 to $500,000.

In contrast to the highest-paid NBA players, who earn more than $50 million annually, the highest-paid players in the NBA are earning more than $50 million a year before factoring in sponsorships.

"Self-doubt can easily arise when facing new challenges or trying to establish oneself early in one's career, according to Brink. However, her advice to women in their 20s is to trust that they deserve their current position, having worked hard to achieve it. Additionally, she advises reminding oneself of the effort put in and the right to own one's place."

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