Canadian forward Dillon Brooks enjoyed a strong run as Canada secured its first-ever FIBA World Cup medal, and he punctuated it with an astonishing 39-point outburst on peak efficiency during Sunday’s victorious third-place game versus the United States,
While the scoring breakout was certainly appreciated, Brooks’ contributions in Manila started on the defensive end, as they typically do in the NBA. That’s a big part of why the Houston Rockets signed him in the 2023 offseason after a successful stint in Memphis.
Buy Rockets TicketsWith that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Brooks was FIBA’s choice for Best Defensive Player of the tournament.
The Best Defensive Player is Dillon Brooks, who was more than glad to accept any defensive responsibilities for Bronze medalists Canada. His physical one-on-one defense against the likes of Luka Doncic and Evan Fournier played a huge role in important victories for The Land of Maple Leaf. Moreover, he was an integral part of one of the best defensive units in the World Cup.
It’s a fitting honor for Brooks, who will soon report to 2023-24 training camp with the rest of Rockets in early October.
“I'm the best perimeter defender in this tournament, in the world, in the NBA.” 🛡️
Dillon Brooks is the Best Defensive Player of #FIBAWC 💯
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 10, 2023
