Houston Rockets’ swingman, Dillon Brooks, didn’t mince words when evaluating his performance for Team Canada in the World Cup quarterfinals, particularly in his matchup against Dallas Mavericks’ superstar, Luka Doncic.
Just one day after helping propel his country into the semifinals with a hard-fought 100-89 victory, largely due to his suffocating defense against the tournament’s top scorer, Brooks confidently proclaimed his prowess on the defensive end.
“I consider myself the premier perimeter defender in this tournament, across the globe, and in the NBA,” Brooks confidently asserted in an interview with Sportal’s Christos Tsaltas.
Following his reputation as an enigmatic force during his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks lived up to the billing in Manila.
On the positive side, Brooks succeeded in containing Doncic, limiting him to 26 points on 20 shot attempts, with a mere 4-of-14 conversion rate inside the paint. Doncic committed three turnovers, made just seven trips to the free-throw line, and was ejected from the game after receiving two technical fouls for disputing calls. On the offensive front, Brooks chipped in with 14 points, including three successful three-pointers.
However, Brooks’ characteristic trash-talking and emotionally charged style of play on the court also led to his ejection during the fourth quarter, despite his team maintaining a lead.
Canada’s head coach, Jordi Fernandez, acknowledged both the positive and negative aspects of Brooks’ performance. He stressed that while Brooks needs to exercise better restraint to avoid ejections, his defensive exhibition against Doncic was nothing short of a “masterclass in defense,” as reported by BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas.
Brooks’ reputation as an elite defender was a key factor in the Houston Rockets offering him a lucrative four-year, $86-million contract. The Memphis Grizzlies, in contrast, reportedly had no intention of retaining the former Oregon wing after a challenging playoff run characterized by scoring struggles and heated exchanges with Los Angeles Lakers star, LeBron James.
With the FIBA World Cup semifinals looming on the horizon, Brooks is likely to be entrusted with the task of defending Serbia’s top scorer, Atlanta Hawks’ guard Bogdan Bogdanovic. This presents yet another opportunity for Brooks to showcase his defensive prowess on the global stage.
