Memphis Grizzlies: Was Dillon Brooks snubbed from a defensive team?

This week, the NBA announced its All-Defensive First and Second Teams, giving Memphis Grizzlies fans hope that they may see one of their own listed in Dillon Brooks. Unfortunately, that would not happen.

Even though Brooks’ was the Grizzlies’ best defender all year long, the NBA didn’t think he was worth being recognized. Here’s what each All-NBA Defensive team looked like for 2021:

First Team:

• Rudy Gobert
• Ben Simmons
• Draymond Green
• Jrue Holiday
• Giannis Antetokounmpo

Second Team:

• Bam Adebayo
• Jimmy Butler
• Joel Embiid
• Kawhi Leonard
• Matisse Thybulle

Two teams of elite defensive NBA players and no Dillon Brooks. That said, Brooks did receive some votes to be considered for an All-NBA team, with 3 votes to be on the second team. He was one of just 29 players outside of the field of 10 who received at least one vote. It may not be an All-Defensive team honor, but it’s something.

At first, Grizzlies’ fans may be started, but a snub from the All-NBA Defensive teams may add fuel to his fire for the 2021-22 season.

Memphis Grizzlies PG Ja Morant weighed in on Dillon Brooks’ snub from an All-Defensive Team

We aren’t the only ones who think Dillon Brooks may have been snubbed from an All-Defensive team, as Ja Morant weighed in on the situation on Twitter. Here’s what he tweeted after the teams were released:

https://twitter.com/jamorant/status/1404575366283509764?s=21

Dillon Brooks was one of the best on-ball defenders in the league last season, so it is slightly disappointing to see his name left off of the list. That said, he’s still 25 years old, so he has plenty of time to continue his development as a defender.

Grizzlies fans know better than anybody that defense only improves throughout a player’s career, even after they exit their physical prime. If Memphis can hold down Brooks for his entire career, they’ll have a replica of a Tony Allen-type player. Only this time, they may have one who can play serviceable offense.

While he didn’t win it this year, this is an honor that Brooks will be shooting for down the road. Barring any disaster, it would be a surprise to see a world where he doesn’t eventually reach that goal.