Last night Mavs game was the 1st time that I have ever seen this guy play. My first impression was DAMN! This guy can flat out play. -Great (not good but great) court vision. Anytime someone opened up under the goal Brooks saw and got the ball to him with a perfect pass. Even when it looked like the defense had Brooks stopped he managed to find an open target at the last second. He always seemed to know where everyone on the court was and better yet seemed to be able to anticipate what they were going to do prior to them doing it. The one play that I saw this backfire on was a pass to Landry...the pass went left and Landry went right...that was it. -Great handles! I don't think I ever saw him loose control of his dribble...regardless of the situation. -Increadible first step and has a set of jets that few players have. -Effortless outside shot that goes in with consistency well beyond the NBA 3 point line. I had no idea he won the 3 pt shoot out in college last season or that his shot was so effortless and consistent. -Can get to the basket at will. It looks like the defender is in front of him and then all of a sudden he puts it into another gear and is just gone. He is going to break some ankles this year...count on it. -Outstanding passer - Regardless what position Brooks body is in or how fast he is going his passes just seem to flick off of his hands and go straight for the enteded target. There were a couple of real gems that made you go "how in the hell did he see that guy!". My only worry here is that he likes to use the bounce pass and this could be a problem with Yao. -Very god defender - When the game started JJ Berara was introduced as a summer leage MVP candidate. Brooks shut him down. Berara got by him a totall of 2 times during the entire game. Once Berara scored and once he did not. This rest of Berara's scoring came against the scrub PG the Rox had backing up Brooks. Brooks is just lightning quick at staying in front of his man. The most impresive play of the entire game was when he got higher than Brandon Brass (6'9" 240lbs) and blocked a dunk attempt with his elbow Brass was just dominating us inside up until then. I don't think I ever saw the guy get rattled. He seems to have great confidence and appears to be a good leader. Whenever he left the court is when the Rockets would falter and the Mavs would take control. When he was on the court the Rockets were typically the better team. The announcers kept comparing him to AI and were calling him AB and I can see why. I certainly am not going to start saying that he will have the success of Iverson because it is unfair to put that on any rookie but he certainly looks like the real deal. It looks like Morey found a real gem at 26 in the draft. And to think I was just flat out shocked when Brooks name was called on draft night. Why oh why or how did this guy last to 26? Was the game against the Mavs a one shot fluke? He dominated JJ Berara who is supose to be a summer league MVP!
agree, I can't belive I knocked this pick. We ended up drafting a 4 (Landry trade in the second round) and this kid will be our starting PG in a few years when James is gone.
Don't get me wrong, its a great analysis man, but I can't help but thinking there are like 3 other threads this could be placed in. Personally, I am on the same page as you are. I think he isn't as close to AI as sort of (and don't kill me for saying this) MJ. He can score, but he doesn't really have to score to win a game. If placed with good teammates he will be successful, I don't think the same could ever be said about AI. I don't think AI can run the point, it's like when people say Tmac is a play maker, he isn't. Tmac gets pressure on him and then passes, he doesn't always create opportunities. In my book, a true PG creates opportunities for his team. All in all, I like the kid.
His one problem is that sometimes he was a little out of control which led to turnovers, but I agree with everything else. Did you see the play at the end of the day where he was running at break neck speed into the paint, lost his footing, and as he was falling still drilled a pass to Harris? (Harris didn't catch it but that's not Brooks fault). Amazing. JJ Barera maybe the summer league MVP but the guy sucks. No way he gets any real minutes over Devin Harris or Jason Terry. But that was the "key" matchup of the game and AB completely dominated JJ.
Oh I definitely saw that play. Some Mav stepped into the lane and Brooks had to but on the brakes to keep from running over the guy, his feet started to slide out from under him and he just flicked a laser to Harris that was a perfect pass...too bad Harris was not expecting it.
I would like to here from someone that has seen this guy play a little more. Is this the norm or was last night a fluke? Did he do this consistently at Oregon and if so why was he not drafted higher up? Why was he predicted to be a second round pick by almost every single mock draft?
If you watch the games this is not JL3 playing. Sure the numbers look the same but this dude can really play IMO. I said it was a bad pick and I was wrong this guy is what every team needs with todays rules.
it's still a little too early to say if he is ready for NBA style of game but watching the clip gunning way behind the arc was just amazing at his size. I hope he shine on the regular season. Go Aaron!!You ROCK!
Morey seems to have indeed made a steal in the late 1st round. Looking back, I see the rationalization that the NBA is a faster paced game and Brooks fits the prototype style that has become the standard. Very impressed with Morey's scouting and Adelman's input on the kid. Here's hoping for a very poor man's Iverson after 2 years.
There are two reasons why Brooks dropped in the draft. 1) At Oregon he played as a SG. Even though Brooks was the primary ball handler, the majority of the game he looked for his own shot rather than distribute. This was by design and is the role that Brooks was expected to play. Brooks is such a good shooter/finisher that it was more effective for Oregon to have him shoot rather than someone else. Scouts however are skeptical of a 5 11" kid who plays SG in college. 2) He had a HORRIBLE junior year. Not only did Brooks struggle as a PG, but at crunchtime in a number of games, Brooks made a critical gaffe that prevented Oregon from winning. On top of this Brooks got ejected from a game in the pac 10 tournament for intentionally elbowing another player in the face. Hence his stock was at an all time low heading into his senior season, and people wondered how good he really was since he had only been really effective for 1 season.
Finally, a voice of sense and sensibility. I am still angry we took such a little point guard when Koponen was available and when we desperately needed a power forward. Brooks will always be on the brink of a Ford-type injury because he is so light. My irritation is mitigated by the Scola/Butler acquisition, but now the question remains as to whether Scola will actually play for less money than he would have made in Europe, especially when he considers the $3M buyout. If the deal works as advertised, I will amend my sig. Until then, that's how I feel.
During his last year in college Brooks was a baller. he dominated and hit game winning shots against Georgetown, UCLA, Arizona, and Washinton State (Twice). He got edged out for Pac 10 player of the year by Aaron Afflalo but most people who follow the league feel that Brooks probably should have won the award. Everyone knew that Brooks had the physical skills to play PG in the NBA, but nobody knew if he could effectively be a distributor at the PG position in the pros because he was not asked to do so in college.
One of the reasons I was skeptical about the pick is because most analysts were calling him a SG in a PG's body which I was still leery of because sometimes they rush to judgment and assume something that isn't true. I am glad to see that he has amazing PG skills and decision making(some questionable last night though). That was my only concern with the pick as he has seemed to work hard on getting easy baskets for his teammates and scoring when need be. They were dead wrong about him being a shoot first PG. He looks to pass first then score second unless he is at the three point line. I have no doubt he can beat NBA quality PG's especially since most really are not that good of defenders(name one great PG defender besides Kidd). Anyways, Brooks can easily beat Jared Jordan and Jose Jaun Barrea but will he be able to be as effective against quality NBA PG's. I think he will but it will still help ease my small concern. I also think he can stick with them pretty well but I would love to see him against Tony Parker, Nash, Paul, Felton, and even Deron. I think he can hold his own about as well as anyone else can.
BGLAE*@#$%!#)RSGF*)#&%@#IOFRH#)%#(!@# ^^ that's the sound of the BBS blowing up! Is this role reversal day or something?!?! j/k DD
