LAS VEGAS — Dillon Brooks, by no means one to draw back from a famous person problem or a sound chew, has a message for LeBron James, Stephen Curry and the remainder of the Individuals heading into Wednesday’s Olympics exhibition sport between Crew USA and Canada.
The Canadians are coming — once more.
“I take it as (simply) one other sport, however me being who I’m, I prefer to make an announcement,” Brooks, the Houston Rockets guard whose Canadian staff gained this system’s first-ever medal (a bronze) final September in opposition to the Individuals within the FIBA World Cup, advised reporters late Monday night time. “So I’ll be able to play. Crew Canada might be able to play, and we’re gonna go balls to the wall and watch the movie after and see if we bought higher.”
As if this budding worldwide rivalry wasn’t attention-grabbing sufficient already, Brooks’ involvement takes it to a different stage due to his lengthy and sordid historical past with the 2 greatest stars on the American squad. Throughout his Memphis Grizzlies days, Brooks’ battles with Curry’s Golden State Warriors have been contentious at each flip. Ditto for his time in opposition to James’ Los Angeles Lakers, each with the Grizzlies and the Rockets, as he has taken the sport’s biggest participant head-on in a manner no different participant can declare.
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To listen to Brooks inform it, his well-chronicled competitiveness might be reaching a brand new excessive due to the involvement of the Individuals’ prime two gamers. In any case, nobody can blame him for believing that the Canadians performed a pivotal half within the American roster getting upgraded for this Olympics problem.
Simply in the future after the Canadians beat the Individuals within the bronze-medal sport, when Brooks scored 39 factors and the favored Individuals needed to head dwelling with out stepping on the medal stand, The Athletic reported that James was not solely able to decide to Crew USA however that he was main the recruiting efforts for different A-list abilities. Curry topped the checklist. So, Brooks was requested, is it potential that he’s much more motivated than ever due to the distinctive dynamics in play?
“Yeah, as a result of there’s new USA gamers, you recognize, that spoke up after (the bronze-medal sport), and needed to play,” he stated. “So, you recognize, I’m completely happy that they’re taking part in as a result of, you recognize, we get to check our abilities in opposition to theirs. And you recognize, it ought to be a enjoyable one.”
Who involves thoughts?
“Effectively firstly, it was Steph and LeBron that got here out and stated one thing, after which everybody else began becoming a member of on,” Brooks continued. “I’m completely happy that they made the dedication, so let’s see. Expertise in opposition to expertise.
“They’ve gotta guard. They’ve gotta play protection. That’s my essential factor. Each staff that has to play in opposition to us has to protect, has to scout in opposition to us. And we’re simply going to play our sport and make changes throughout the sport.”
Whereas Crew USA is actually the Olympic favourite, the Canadians are hardly missing for elite expertise. From Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (who was second in MVP voting final season) to the Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray, the Thunder’s Lu Dort on down, Crew Canada will not be solely formidable however foundational. With Brooklyn Nets coach Jordi Fernandez on the helm, they’ve achieved a current stage of roster consistency that usually bodes properly in worldwide play. And the Individuals, as Brooks made clear, are the most important menace to the staff objectives that lie forward.
“The assumption was all the time there; we simply needed to put it collectively,” Brooks stated. “Now we’ve bought numerous gamers which can be dedicated, keen to construct this each single summer season to get higher and higher and construct chemistry and construct camaraderie.
“Our time was final 12 months. And now (it’s) our time for this 12 months. However as an alternative of getting bronze, we would like the gold.”
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(Photograph: Jam Sta Rosa / AFP through Getty Photographs)
