- Former Grizzlies swingman gets the last laugh after scoring 39 against Team USA
- Dillon Brooks has embraced the villain role since his departure from Memphis
- Brooks says his new persona is like Kobe Bryant
As the most hated player in the NBA, Dillon Brooks has played with a massive chip on his shoulder in the FIBA World Cup this year. Over the past few weeks, Brooks has played a huge role for Canada, who is still fresh off their win over Team USA.
For Brooks, Sunday’s game was a coming-out party for him and he was proud to compare himself to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant after dropping 39 points in the win over USA. “It’s like a persona. People love it. I’ve grown to love it myself. It’s just like Kobe Bryant,” said Brooks in a postgame chat with the media. “RIP to Kobe Bryant. How he had to figure out how to create ‘The Black Mamba.’”
Dillon Brooks on villain role: "It's just a persona."
Compared to Kobe's Black Mamba persona. pic.twitter.com/FJZThVlzNp
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 10, 2023
Brooks became a villain for the NBA community after his latest stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. While a quality defender and passionate locker room voice, Brooks’ limitations offensively were a major liability for the Grizzlies. In 73 games for them last season, he averaged 143 points on just 39% shooting from the field.
At first, Brooks struggled to accept his villain persona, but he’s come to embrace it now after suffering an entire summer of criticism and hate. By Canada’s win on Sunday afternoon, Brooks was completely ready to deliver his best game yet, and that’s exactly what he did when the lights were brightest. Even so, invoking the name of Kobe Bryant may have been a step too far for the two-way wing.
Fans Are Furious Over Kobe Bryant Comparison
Brooks was able to get the last laugh over his haters this weekend with a win and strong individual performance, but it didn’t really do much to settle the fans who stormed social media after Dillon’s postgame comments.
Kobe, who passed with his young daughter Gianna in a 2020 plane crash, is a fan favorite in the NBA community and not just for his amazing career. Besides being a 5x champion, MVP, and 18x All-Star, Bryant made a name for himself with the “mamba mentality.” His fierce competitive spirit and relentless drive to win pushed him to be his best and it also inspired his teammates to match his energy.
Dillon Brooks may have an aggressive approach to the game, but many fans are arguing that he hasn’t yet earned the right to put himself in the same breath as an NBA legend like Bryant.
He always has to take it too far https://t.co/wtTb6C2Vf9
— black dynamite (@jaybake) September 10, 2023
Please make it stop https://t.co/Pndie8ehVY
— RockwallCat (@RockwallCat) September 10, 2023
Dillon is a good player and Memphis made a mistake letting him go. He plays tough a good defender, rebounds & can score. Just don’t compare yourself in anyway to Kobe that’s metaphorically expulsion by the entire damn world 🌎.
— Eezo (@Eezo20) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks Is Out For Revenge
Dillon’s 39-point game against Team USA came as a surprise to many, but the 27-year-old point guard isn’t about to stop now. After last season’s disaster in Memphis, Brooks was exiled as the source of all their problems, and now he’s out to prove that he can still contribute to winning.
With the Rockets, Brooks will have the chance to rebuild his reputation and start fresh with a completely clean slate. What he does with the opportunity is anyone’s guess at this point, but he won’t stay quiet for too long.
For Brooks, the path to redemption begins with proving himself on the court, and then showing that he’s no longer a distraction to his teammates.
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