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Memphis Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks Reviews Season on ‘The Starters’

By Christian Dudley

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 9: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 9, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 9: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 9, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 9: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 9, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – APRIL 9: Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 9, 2018 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images) /

 Dillon Brooks was one of the few bright spots for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2017-18. This past week, he reviewed his rookie season on NBATV’s “The Starters.”

Who thought that the 45th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft would become a contributor starting from Opening Night of the regular season?

Crickets.

Nobody did. Well, maybe someone.

That someone is Dillon Brooks, the 45th pick of the Houston Rockets. The Memphis Grizzlies struck gold when they pulled the trigger on a Draft Night deal that landed them Brooks, a 6’6″ electric small forward.

Rarely does a second-round selection make a name for himself, especially right out of the gate in their rookie season, but Dillon Brooks completed the unthinkable. He is now a key component of the Grizzlies’ long-term focus.

Thist past week, Brooks joined NBATV’s “The Starters” segment to discuss his rookie season in the NBA in addition to some off-court topics. View the NBATV clip directly below along with analysis from Beale Street Bears.

Longevity

It is next to impossible for a player in today’s NBA to appear in all 82 regular season games. Add in a grueling training camp, preseason games, and more. That is a lot of physical contact and many other factors that each player comes across during the season.

Memphis’ Dillon Brooks surprisingly played in all 82 games this season. That is correct — the 45th overall pick was the only Grizzly to accomplish this feat in 2017-18. He played in nine more contests than veterans Marc Gasol and Jarell Martin (tied for second on the team; 73 games played).

To compare Dillon versus the rest of the NBA, the Memphis rookie was one of only 26 total players to reach the 82-game mark. Talk about impressive. Given all the injury woes experienced by the Grizzlies in recent seasons, longevity is definitely warmly welcomed at this point.

Coaching Change

As Dillon Brooks mentions to “The Starters,” he had never dealt with a midseason coaching change. That is tough on a team’s locker room, even at the professional level of basketball.

Not only did Brooks break into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup as a rookie, but he continued to improve throughout the season, in the midst of the coaching change from David Fizdale to J.B. Bickerstaff.

Bickerstaff considers Dillon to be a key piece to the Grizzlies’ puzzle — as he should — and a big-time sophomore season is to be expected from Brooks in 2018-19. He did not miss a beat during the transition between head coaches.

Matchup Defense

Who was the toughest player for Dillon Brooks to defend in his inaugural season as an NBA player?

His answer was not LeBron James. Stephen Curry? Nope. Kevin Durant? Think again.

However, it was a superstar player. “James Harden,” perhaps the soon-to-be-named league MVP.

Fans of the Memphis Grizzlies can truly relate to this. Whether you are a firm believer that Harden gets more than his fair share of favoritism from the officiating crew, he is an incredibly crafty player.

Dillon Brooks acknowledges James Harden’s greatness on the hardwood, especially when Harden drives to the left. Unstoppable. Being as Brooks is a crafty player on both ends of the court, too, you can already assume he is thinking of ways to incorporate a few of Harden’s moves into his own repertoire.

The Grizzlies rookie averaged 11.0 points per game on 9.4 shot attempts per game. For a first-year player — second-rounder or not — you have to be impressed. In Dillon Brooks’ sophomore season, expect both numbers to jump. If he continues to shoot with the 44% accuracy from the field (35.6% from long-range), great things will be achieved by the Memphis Grizzlies in the near future.

A trio of Dillon Brooks, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley will be a scary sight in the Western Conference if a bill of good health can be had by the Grizzlies.

Go Grizz!

Next: WATCH: Grizzlies' Head Coach Throws First Pitch for Redbirds

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