Shaquille O’Neal highlights Dillon Brooks’ incredible 39-piece against USA in FIBA World Cup
Dillon Brooks played a key role in helping the Canadian national team finish third in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
The former Memphis Grizzlies wing dropped 39 points on Team USA in the third-placed game, proving that he's more than just an agitator on a basketball court.
Recently, Shaquille O’Neal shared Brooks' FIBA World Cup highlights against Team USA in his Instagram stories.
Brooks' performance was one of the biggest throughout the FIBA World Cup and certainly got NBA fans talking. It would also seem that some of the league's former stars have begun to sit up and take notice of the Houston Rockets' latest addition.
Brooks is entering his seventh year in the NBA, where he has developed a negative reputation around the league due to his on-court antics and perceived bad attitude. However, Brooks projects as the type of player teams love to have on their roster but hate to play against.
Dillon Brooks was released by the Memphis Grizzlies
Shortly after the Memphis Grizzlies 2022-23 season came to a close, The Atheltic's Shams Charania reported that Dillon Brooks wouldn't be returning to the franchise under any circumstances:
"The Memphis Grizzlies have informed pending free agent Dillon Brooks that he will not be brought back under any circumstances, league sources say," Charania reported on X.
Brooks has since landed with the Houston Rockets, where he will play under Ime Udoka as the Western Conference franchise looks to expedite its current rebuild. The former second-round picks' abrasive nature will be a perfect fit in Udoka's physical style of play, and allow the veteran wing to assume a leadership role for his new franchise.
If Brooks can carry over his FIBA World Cup performances to the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal will have plenty more opportunities to share Brooks' highlights on his Instagram stories.
However, Brooks will likely be a role player for Houston as the franchise continues to develop Alpren Sengun and Jalen Green, who are both stars of the future
The veteran wing's two-way skillset will certainly help boost the Rockets on both sides of the floor. Shortly after his big-time performance, Dillon Brooks boldly claimed he's the best two-way wing in the world. While that claim is certainly a stretch, it's that level of confidence that will help propel the Rockets back to relevancy.
The Rockets have also added Fred VanVleet this summer, further proving they were keen to add some more defensive grit heading into the new season. Brooks and VanVleet will be expected to have a significant impact on Houston's overall play style in the coming season.