On his journey to the NBA, Dillon Brooks was a name that flew under the radar for the most part. The 23-year-old from Mississauga, Ontario never received the hype or buzz of an Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, or an RJ Barrett – but based on his performance so far this season, Brooks has proven himself to be one of the top Canadians playing at the NBA level.
Dillion Brooks Getting Better at his Craft
Solid Overall Game
During a pre-draft work out in Toronto back in May of 2017, Brooks spoke with confidence about his overall game.
“Every team is looking for a two-way player. I play both offense and defense at a high rate. I want to be that guy,” Brooks said during a media scrum after his workout with the Toronto Raptors. “A good man once told me it’s easy to get into the league. But it’s hard to stay it in so I’ve just been preaching that to myself,” Brooks said.
A Successful Journey to the NBA
Brooks, who turns 24 in January, was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 2017 draft with the 45th overall pick, and subsequently traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
On his way to the NBA, he relocated to Nevada where he played for Findlay Prep. After starring at Findlay Prep, Brooks scored a Divison 1 scholarship with the Oregon Ducks.
Brooks spent three years honing his skills at Oregon and would become one of the stars with the Ducks. In his third year, he earned Pac 12 Player of the Year.
That same year, he was a key part of the Ducks’ run to the Final Four in the NCAA tournament. Brooks and his Oregon teammates would lose a nail biter, 77-76, to the eventual champs from North Carolina.
Making Improvements Every Year
As a rookie in the 2017-18 NBA season, Brooks averaged 11.1 points per game and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Unfortunately, Brooks would see his sophomore season cut short after playing just 18 games because of a ruptured ligament in his big right toe.
Brooks got off to a slow start to this season but has picked it up recently. While he’s known for his solid defense, Brooks broke through offensively on November 6th by pouring in 31 points – hitting nine of 16 shots against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In that game against fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggins and the Timberwolves, Brooks hit five three-pointers and went a perfect eight of eight from the foul line.
“I got hot and my they kept on finding me. I credit my teammates for finding me,” said Brooks in his on-court interview after his 31 point performance.
“My teammates got me going. It was a terrific game; we played defense which translates to the offense – so credit coach Taylor.”
Praise from the Coach
After Brooks’ 31 point explosion against Minnesota, Memphis Grizzlies’ head coach Taylor Jenkins spoke about how gratifying it was to see Brooks put his all-around game on display.
“His spirit has been great,” said Jenkins.
“Even in his struggles in a couple of games where his shots are not dropping or he’s in foul trouble his spirit and energy have been consistent. It’s great that he’s been consistent defensively,” added the Grizzlies’ head coach about Brooks.
“That spirit that I talk about builds your team’s confidence and builds the energy up. Obviously, tonight he had a heck of a night tonight. I’m proud of his teammates finding him in the right spots and him being aggressive.”
Just on Sunday, the 23-year-old led the Grizzlies to a 117-104 victory over the Charlotte Hornets as he poured in a team-high 20 points. An interesting fact is when Brooks scores 20 or more points in a game this season, the Grizzlies have won all eight of those contests.
Planning to Make Impact with Team Canada
Another team Brooks will surely make a key impact on is the Canadian men’s national basketball team. He recently announced his decision to play in the upcoming Olympic qualifier.
The FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament will be held next June in Victoria, British Columbia. The talented Canadian squad will have to win the six-team tournament in order to advance to the 2020 Summer Games in Toyko, Japan.
A Bright Future Ahead
Despite the Grizzlies’ inconsistency on the basketball courts, Brooks has proven to be a consistent contributor on the defensive end of the court. He is also making steady progress on the offensive end.
In addition to recording more than one steal per game, the 23-year-old Canadian is also averaging better than 14 points per game.
As 2019 draws to a close, Brooks has established himself as one of the most steady Canadians on both sides of the ball playing in the NBA.
And if it’s his focus is to enjoy a long successful career in the NBA, Brooks is well on his way towards achieving that goal.
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