Dillon Brooks is given the thankless task of guarding the best players in the NBA on a nightly basis and he was recently asked to name the three toughest players for him to guard.
"Luka (Doncic), I think Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), and... Andrew Nembhard."
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Brooks hilariously went with fellow Canadian Andrew Nembhard as the third player and this very much seems like an inside joke. The reason being, that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also included Nembhard when creating his perfect player .
Nembhard put in some dazzling performances in the 2024 playoffs, but it is safe to say that with career averages of 9.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 0.9 steals per game, he has some ways to go before he enters such conversations. The 24-year-old did get a big payday thanks to those postseason heroics, as the Indiana Pacers gave him a three-year, $59 million contract extension.
That contract will pale in comparison to what Luka Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander are expected to get in 2025, though. Both men will almost certainly get the supermax and rightfully so.
Doncic had a phenomenal 2023-24 season, averaging 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. The 25-year-old won the scoring title in the process and finished third in voting for MVP.
Doncic and Brooks have had some epic clashes in recent years, with the former coming out on top more often than not. While the Houston Rockets forward's antics get on the nerves of so many NBA superstars, the Slovenian isn't one of them. Doncic claimed he loves playing against Brooks and seems to have a fair bit of respect for him too.
As for Gilgeous-Alexander, he averaged 30.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in 2023-24. The Canadian led the Oklahoma City Thunder to the No. 1 seed in the West with a 57-25 record and finished second in voting for MVP.
Gilgeous-Alexander has now averaged over 30.0 points per game in each of the last two seasons. The 26-year-old has been given defenders nightmares on a consistent basis and will be looking to do so at the Olympics as well.
While Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander are undoubtedly two of the toughest players to guard in the NBA, it was quite interesting that Brooks left out some other big names. LeBron James is perhaps the most notable exclusion, considering the battles they have had, but I suppose it isn't all that surprising that he isn't interested in giving his "rival" any props. We might get to see them face off in the Olympics, and it will be a lot of fun if they do.
Dillon Brooks And Canada Look Primed To Win An Elusive Olympic Medal
The Canadian men's national basketball team is back at the Olympics for the first time since 2000 and I give them a great chance at winning a medal on their return. With the likes of Gilgeous-Alexander, Brooks, Jamal Murray, and RJ Barrett leading the way, they are one of the better teams in the competition.
If this group does indeed win a medal as I expect, it would end a ridiculously long drought for the Canadian men's basketball team. They have only ever won one medal in the Olympics in their history, the silver in 1936.
This group has already ended one long wait for a medal by winning the bronze at the 2023 FIBA World Cup and it would be quite special to do it again in Paris. I don't think they have a shot at winning the gold medal, though, thanks to Team USA.
Related: Dillon Brooks On Team USA: "They Gotta Guard. They Gotta Play Defense"
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