MEMPHIS – Dillon Brooks spent the offseason continuing to transform his body to
the point where he arrived at the Grizzlies’ training camp impressively svelte.
But he’s no longer stealth.
There’s absolutely no sneaking up on anyone in the league this season for the
second-year swingman who transitioned from being the No. 45 overall pick in last
year’s NBA Draft to becoming the only rookie to play all 82 regular-season games
last season.
If Brooks’ initial run through the NBA was about gaining exposure, then Year 2
is about expectation. Arguably the biggest steal in last year’s draft,
especially among second-round picks, Brooks opens camp on Tuesday aiming to
build on last year’s promise by reclaiming a prominent rotation role.
The biggest position up for grabs entering the season is at starting shooting
guard, where a fierce battle is expected from the moment the Grizzlies hit the
court for the first of this week’s twice-daily practices.
9
That’s the number of different players who have started at the shooting guard
spot for the Grizzlies over the past two seasons because of injuries or
inconsistent production at the position.
But Brooks’ goal isn’t simply to emerge as the starting shooting guard for the
Oct. 17 season opener at Indiana. It’s not that important where coach J.B.
Bickerstaff puts Brooks in the lineup, as long as he sticks him on the opposing
team’s top perimeter threat.
“Whether it’s the two (shooting guard) or three (small forward), it doesn’t
matter – I just want to be out there guarding the other team’s best player,”
Brooks said during Monday’s media day at FedExForum. “It doesn’t matter if it’s
a two, three or a moving four (power forward). I want to be able to shut him
down and be able to defend multiple positions. I want to earn that respect and
trust from the coaches.”
It didn’t take long for Brooks to be handed those duties last season. Two weeks
into his rookie season, a combination of injuries on the wing to other players
and inconsistent performances forced Brooks into the starting lineup at shooting
guard. Soon after, he was routinely tasked with defending elite wings from James
Harden and LeBron James to Paul George and Kevin Durant.
The Grizzlies often didn’t have many other viable options. So, Brooks didn’t
have any other choice than to embrace the challenge, take some lumps and learn
through growing pains. Those lessons further strengthened a resilience that has
Brooks resisting any notion of an NBA sophomore slump. After averaging 11
points, 3.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and nearly a steal a game as one of the team’s
most complete players, Brooks spent the offseason improving every facet of his
game.
“It was just about creating confidence that can withstand the whole year, not
getting too high or too low this time around, but staying confident in what I
can do,” said Brooks, who shot 44.0-percent from the field overall and
35.6-percent on threes as a rookie. “I’m developing my three-ball, trying to get
that to 40-percent. Then, if I can get (defenders) running at me to get me off
the line, I can create more plays from scoring to setting different guys up with
assists. So it’s been all about getting a better (three-point shot), getting
better handles to make plays.”
Bickerstaff is encouraged by Brooks’ conditioning to prepare his body for
another season of wire-to-wire work. He was the first Grizzlies’ rookie since
Marc Gasol and O.J. Mayo to play all 82 games.
In college at Oregon, where he was the Pac-12 Player of the Year two seasons
ago, Brooks spent much of his time at power forward for the Ducks. Over the
course of a year in the NBA, Brooks has dropped about 10 pounds from his
6-foot-6 frame and has reduced his body-fat percentage.
“His versatility and drive are what help get him on the floor and are what will
help keep him on the floor,” Bickerstaff said of Brooks. “Dillon definitely can
play two-guard. Those wing spots for us are basically interchangeable, and you
have to dribble, pass and shoot. He can do all of those things. And Dillon
affords you the opportunity to play him at the two because he’s one of your best
players.”
Even from his vantage point in practices and team meetings, Bickerstaff is as
intrigued as anyone to see how the competition will play out in camp at shooting
guard. Since former guard Tony Allen’s peak seasons a few years ago, it’s
probably been the most unsettled spot on the roster. Just in the past two
seasons, the Grizzlies have started nine different players at shooting guard.
Brooks split his 74 rookie starts almost equally between shooting guard and
small forward. But with top incoming free agent Kyle Anderson likely to take
over at the bigger wing spot, the move could push Brooks into the backcourt
alongside veteran point guard Mike Conley to open games.
Don’t expect Bickerstaff to tip his hand anytime soon. He’d prefer for someone
to force that hand.
“It’s wide open all over the place,” Bickerstaff said. “We’ve told the guys that
nothing is going to be given, and everything is going to be earned. So, the
competition level is going to be high. We’re trying to fill 48 minutes. So you
may have starter skills and starter ability, but with this group, if the best
thing is for you to come off the bench, that’s the most important thing.”
The options seem endless. MarShon Brooks signed with the Grizzlies late last
season and proved to be a legit scorer after averaging 20.1 points in seven
games. Wayne Selden, who missed most of last season with knee issues, showed a
spark for the second consecutive year in summer league and enters camp healthy
and eager to live up to his potential. And the Grizzlies traded for versatile
veteran Garrett Temple, who rounds out a deep mix for what could be the most
hotly-contested job in camp.
“I’m just real excited, very hungry, very humbled to be in this situation,”
Selden said of the competition. “I haven’t really had this opportunity yet to
attack a season at the beginning of the season. So I’m excited to do that. I
don’t look at how many numbers are there. Coaches will handle that and put on
the court whoever they feel should be on the court. My part is just to come in
and do my work.”
Brooks didn’t play with the Grizzlies in the Utah or Las Vegas summer leagues,
but participated in four games with the Canadian national team in exhibitions
and preliminary FIBA qualifier games. So don’t think he won’t enter his second
NBA season with a bit of an edge.
That much was taken care of when Brooks was impressive enough to earn a spot on
the victorious Team World squad at All-Star Weekend, but was then left off the
All-Rookie NBA team at season’s end.
There’s still plenty to prove.
“What can you do to kind of distance yourself from the next player?” Brooks said
of the motivational question he kept asking himself over the summer. “Is that
player going to be eating right, lifting weights, working on his game every day?
Those little details. I don’t have the longest arms, I’m not the fastest guy and
I’m not the strongest guy. I can’t rely on anything other than getting my body
in tip-top shape, so I can withstand everything and still play with guys who are
more naturally gifted.”
More naturally gifted? Well, maybe.
Hungrier entering camp? Nope.
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Player: Dillon Brooks
Player: MarShon Brooks
Player: Wayne Selden
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