Subscribe
Follow Us
LAS VEGAS, NV – Jabari Smith Jr. and the Houston Rockets are preparing to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the semifinals of the NBA Cup on Saturday evening. As is the case for most Rockets games, forward Dillon Brooks will be an x-factor in the game for Houston.
Brooks, who will take on his teammates from the Canadian National Team in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort, has been someone who has stayed in headlines, but often times for the wrong reasons — whether it was people on the outside criticizing his over-intensity or others calling him dirty.
Jabari Smith Jr. defends Rockets teammate Dillon Brooks
Although he's never received the accolades for it, Dillon Brooks has been incredibly impactful for his Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets teams over his eight years in the NBA. It's why Houston reached an immediate agreement on a four-year, $86 million deal with him as soon the 2023 free agency period began.
Ahead of Saturday's contest between the Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder, Brooks' teammate, Jabari Smith Jr., gave his insight into what it's like to have the Canadian basketball player as a teammate.
“Oh, it’s great,” Smith Jr. told ClutchPoints during Friday's media availability. “He’s one of the most… I’m trying to think of the word. Like, misunderstood. Because people might view him on the outside looking in like he’s this crazy guy, but he really is a leader, he really loves basketball, he really is a hard worker.
“He’s everything you can ask for in a vet. I’ve grown closer to him as I’ve been with him as I’ve been with him the past two years, he’s like my big brother. We’ve built a relationship and it rubs off on everyone. The energy and the intensity he plays with, it definitely working, it’s definitely rubbing off on everyone. He’s helped us a lot.”
Brooks left Memphis after averaging 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 345 regular season appearances. The Grizzlies did not offer him a new contract, with reports citing concerns over his wanting and increased role and his antics potentially negatively impacting younger players.
Did Jabari Smith Jr. have any kind of impression of Brooks that changed once the team acquired him?
“Yeah, a bit, but I didn’t really know him too much,” Smith Jr. admitted to ClutchPoints in the interview. “Just off of playing against him, but I ain’t judging a book off its cover, so I just really didn’t know what to expect. He ended up being real cool.
“He’s got a lot more game than I thought from watching him. Because I watched him at Oregon, and I remember him being player of the year and all of that. So I knew there was some game in there, but he shown me in training camp and pick-up games. He’s shown me for sure.”
Dillon Brooks had a strong college career at Oregon from 2014-2017. During his sophomore season, Brooks averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 33.8 percent from three in 32.8 minutes per game.
In his junior season, Brooks played seven fewer minutes per game at 25.3 a night, but still averaged 16.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals on better efficiency — 48.8 percent shooting from the field and 40.1 percent from three.
Brooks was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2017, a two-time First-Team All-Pac-12 member in 2016 and 2017, and a Consensus Second-Team All-American in 2017.
The Rockets and Thunder will tip off their NBA Cup semifinal matchup on Saturday, December 14 at 5:30PM PST on ABC.
