Brooks looks to inspire future Canadian NBAers
Dillon Brooks represents the growth of basketball in Canada and the quality of talent being produced in the country.
The Memphis Grizzlies forward is coming off an impressive NBA rookie season, and was in Edmonton on a promotional tour with Air Miles greeting fans at K-Days on the weekend.
“This is my first time in Alberta and I’m enjoying it,” said Brooks, a Mississauga, Ont. product. “I love the people here. It’s amazing, they’re showing so much love and support. I never knew I had fans all the way out here, it’s an amazing feeling to be here.”
A graduate of the University of Oregon, Brooks, 22, averaged 11 points per game for the Grizzlies last season. He played in all 82 games for Memphis, starting on 74 occasions. Brooks was acquired in a trade by the Grizzlies from the Houston Rockets shortly after being selected with the 45th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft.
“I was happy with my year, but I always tell myself I have room for improvement,” Brooks said. “I had the opportunity and I made the most of it. That’s one thing that I pride myself on. I’ve heard so many stories in the NBA of how guys lose that opportunity and it’s so hard to get back. So I never want to lose it. I want to play in the NBA for a long time and my first year is just one stepping stone in building something great.”
Brooks was one of 11 Canadian players in the NBA last season, the most of any country outside of the United States. He grew up playing a number of different sports before settling on basketball and making his way to Findlay Prep High School in Henderson, Nev., prior to getting a scholarship at Oregon.
“I couldn’t skate. That’s why I didn’t play hockey,” said Brooks with a smile.
Now as an NBA player, Brooks takes pride in being a role model for the next generation of basketball talent in the country. With the popularity of the game at an all-time high in Canada, Brooks expects more players to continue breaking through to the NCAA and into the NBA.
“Getting to college in order to get an opportunity to get to the NBA is hard,” Brooks said. “College coaches or NBA scouts don’t always get an opportunity to watch Canadian play. It is challenging, but you have guys that motivated me like Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, Kelly Olynyk and those guys who already made it through. Those guys gave me motivation to keep working and I’m trying to do the same for younger basketball players as well.”
Going into his second NBA season, Brooks wants to build on his rookie campaign. He scored 19 points in his first game for Memphis, the most of any Canadianborn player in their NBA debut. However, the Grizzlies finished second-last in the NBA Western Conference with a 22-60 record.
“I’m trying to be a bigger piece for the team, trying to help scoring, that’s what we lacked in last year,” Brooks said.