While the future of the Memphis Grizzlies is all but clear, it seems they’ve hit the nail on the head with some of their recent draft acquisitions. Although he’s currently injured, being thrown into the fire last season has certainly prepared Dillon Brooks for a successful future.
After being taken with the 45th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, it was pretty clear to most that Dillon Brooks wouldn’t be an instant impact player. After being traded immediately to the Memphis Grizzlies, however, that all changed quite abruptly.
The Grizzlies found a role for the young forward right off the bat, though that role changed a number of times throughout the remainder of the season due to a variety of injuries to key players.
After scoring 19 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals on an efficient 7-of-13 shooting in his very first game, Memphis knew it had a special player on its hands. As a result, he found himself inserted into a variety of rotations with both the starting lineup and the reserves.
From perimeter defense to spot-up shooting to even becoming a top-two scoring option later on in the season, Brooks wore a bunch of different hats as a rookie on a shorthanded Grizzlies team and got experience many rookies often aren’t able to get starting out. The future looks bright.