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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ben DuBose

Dillon Brooks named Best Defensive Player at 2023 FIBA World Cup

Canadian forward Dillon Brooks enjoyed a strong run as Canada secured its first-ever FIBA World Cup medal, and he punctuated it with an astonishing 39-point outburst on peak efficiency during Sunday’s victorious third-place game versus the United States,

While the scoring breakout was certainly appreciated, Brooks’ contributions in Manila started on the defensive end, as they typically do in the NBA. That’s a big part of why the Houston Rockets signed him in the 2023 offseason after a successful stint in Memphis.

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With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Brooks was FIBA’s choice for Best Defensive Player of the tournament.

From FIBA’s announcement:

The Best Defensive Player is Dillon Brooks, who was more than glad to accept any defensive responsibilities for Bronze medalists Canada. His physical one-on-one defense against the likes of Luka Doncic and Evan Fournier played a huge role in important victories for The Land of Maple Leaf. Moreover, he was an integral part of one of the best defensive units in the World Cup.

It’s a fitting honor for Brooks, who will soon report to 2023-24 training camp with the rest of Rockets in early October.

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