Dillon Brooks strikes again. After beating his enemy Draymond Green and the Warriors on Thursday night, the Grizzlies forward was feeling himself and decided to take a shot at New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony.
Brooks doesn’t exactly have the best reputation in the NBA, which clearly isn’t something that he cares about. He’s embraced being a “villain” in the league and thrives off frustrating opposing players. Look no further than what has gone down between him and Draymond.
Brooks is the type of guy that you like to have on your team so that you don’t have to worry about dealing with him. He’s physical. He’s vocal. He’s a pest. However, here’s the thing, there’s a reason why he’s disliked and it goes beyond all of the aforementioned things.
A perfect example of Brooks taking things too far is his response to being asked about the narrative that Memphis needs more veterans. Instead of saying that the Grizzlies are fine with the veterans that they have, he randomly threw shade at Melo and Dwight Howard.
Asked Dillon Brooks about the “Grizzlies need more veterans” narrative:
— Parker Fleming (@PAKA_FLOCKA) March 10, 2023
“Who should we sign?” Says guys like Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard just want to be back for their shine, not to help young guys. Calls Udonis Haslem a “real vet.”
Dillon Brooks drama continues with latest shot at former Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony
Has Dillon Brooks ever played with Carmelo Anthony or Dwight Howard? No. Is Dillon Brooks ever going to reach the same level that Carmelo Anthony or Dwight Howard reached playing in the NBA? Probably not.
In case Brooks forgot, or simply doesn’t care (which seems to be the case), Melo’s career was given a resurgence when he signed with the Trail Blazers in 2019. After being deemed as a player that no longer had a fit in the league, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 58 games for Portland. The Trail Blazers recognized Melo’s efforts by naming him the recipient of the 2019-20 Maurice Lucas Award.
"“Carmelo’s selfless attitude and leadership on and off the court make him an ideal recipient of this year’s Maurice Lucas Award,” said Olshey.“Carmelo is an authentic leader both on and off the court and truly embodies what the Maurice Lucas award is about,” said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers. “His experience, knowledge, leadership and authenticity have been the perfect addition to the Trail Blazers and the city of Portland.”"
That doesn’t sound like the same veteran that Brooks described. Does Brooks care about the facts though? No. He just wants the attention. Even when he isn’t relevant, he’s going to talk enough to make himself relevant.
The Grizzlies have thrived off being hated by the rest of the league, but there’s a reason for that. Memphis has the talent, but soon another year will pass without the team even managing to make it to the Western Conference Finals. When Ja Morant will return to the court is still unknown.
As for Brooks, he’s a point of frustration on the defensive end, but that’s it. He’s shooting a career-low 38.8% from the field and 31.5% from three. Truth be told, he could learn a thing or two from Melo. Maybe Melo could help him, you know, shine.
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