2017 NBA Draft Preview
Second Round Value: Dillon Brooks
Examining the former Ducks’ game and his potential fit with the Knicks as a late round steal
Oregon standout small forward Dillon Brooks decided to forgo his senior season as a Duck and declare for the NBA draft, where he is projected to be a mid-second round selection. The 6'7" winger took home Pac-12 Player of the Year last season and was second in the conference in scoring, only trailing presumptive no. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz.
On a loaded Oregon Ducks team that featured great players like Tyler Dorsey and Jordan Bell, Brooks stood out as the unquestionably most talented and lethal offensive option. For a 21-year-old student-athlete, Brooks has quite a bit of big game experience, which has helped him mold into a solid, mature, and high I.Q. basketball player.
Despite his impressive and versatile scoring prowess (16 points per game, 40 percent 3-point field goal), Brooks is limited athletically and physically, and simply just doesn’t have the upside and complete game to be a star in the NBA. He projects as more of a scoring sixth-man who has the potential to average a solid 13-to-15 points per game. I hope Brooks proves me wrong and turns out to be a stud, because I am a huge fan of his passion for the game.
Pro Comparisons
Ceiling: Dion Waiters
After watching Dillon Brooks for three seasons in college, I noticed he competed with more emotion than most college players I’ve seen in recent years. Similar to Miami Heat guard Dion Waiters, Brooks wears his emotions on his sleeve and isn’t afraid take the big shot. It’s important that Brooks is able to keep his fiery personality in check because it could backfire.
Brooks is a bit bigger than Waiters, but both of them have shown good range and both possess the ability to attack the basket and score with conviction.
It took Waiters a few years to find his niche in Miami after being selected fourth overall in 2012. He was somewhat of a bust at first, but then was able to get comfortable in South Beach and has developed into a quality player and starter. If Brooks lands in the right situation where he is able to get minutes without being looked at to lead an offensive charge, then he will be a good player in the NBA, similar to Waiters.
Realistic Outcome: Arron Afflalo
For quite a while, former Knick Arron Afflalo was a solid contributor for a few teams before his career kind of tailed off in recent years. He was capable of scoring 30 off of the bench and he was a very good shooter, who didn’t offer much in the explosive department. Brooks again, isn’t a showtime athlete and probably won’t be able to get to the rim like he did in college. But expect him to knock down his shots and be able to contribute off the bench.
Strengths
Offensive Versatility
Brooks showed improvement every season at Oregon and became one of the most dangerous all around scorers in college basketball last season. You can’t leave Brooks open from three because he will hit his shots at a good rate, but if you give him space, he can use his long strides to rise up at the rim and hammer home dunks. It will be much more difficult to be able to attack the paint with more imposing defenders in the NBA, but versatility is definitely a trait that teams are looking for in the second round to create a more dynamic rotation.
Sure, sometimes he got a bit too trigger happy and hoisted up ill-advised shots, but some good coaching and veteran leadership can quickly correct that mindset.
Big Game Experience/Fearlessness
In his time in college, Brooks played in a very competitive Pac-12 conference with powerhouses like Arizona and UCLA lurking around the corner. The Ducks also went on deep NCAA tournament runs, most notably a Final Four appearance a few months ago.
Brooks has taken (and made) multiple big shots in big games for his team and he clearly doesn’t mind being THE guy on his team. GM’s and coaches salivate over that “give me the ball in crunch time and get the hell out of the way attitude,” and his swagger definitely bodes well for Brooks. I don’t know how many big shots he will be taking in the NBA, but experience and braggadocio are great things to have going into draft night.
Emotion
As mentioned previously, Brooks plays the game with intensity and passion and he is very animated on the court. I believe his fire is one of the greatest qualities and will help him fit in in an NBA locker room and allow him to earn the respect of his teammates. It’s important that Brooks is able to control his emotions because it could end up becoming a weakness of he is too hot-blooded.
If Brooks can reign in his fire and direct it in a positive direction, then that just makes him more of a potential second round steal
Weaknesses
Rebounding
For a guy who is 6'7" and played a lot of power forward for the Ducks last season, you expect his rebounding numbers to be higher than they were. His shortcomings in the rebounding department can be attributed to his lack of length (wingspan) and the fact that he isn’t an supremely gifted athlete. In order to improve this, Brooks needs to work harder on his already strong body and develop more of a drive to snag the ball off of the glass. With big teammates like Chris Boucher and the aforementioned Jordan Bell cleaning up the glass, Brooks’ deficiencies on the boards were often masked. It is key for the young forward to become more of a glass attacker when the shot goes up, on both ends of the floor.
Defense
Brooks’ lack of elite lateral quickness and overall athleticism allowed him to be exposed at certain points throughout his career. Brooks was able to get away with it a lot of the time because Coach Dana Altman ran a zone defense most of the time. He will have to dig deep and develop a love and passion for defense if he wants to be a starter in the NBA, which I believe he could eventually be. His strength and desire to get better and could potentially make up for his absence of NBA-level tools.
Brooks’ Fit With the Knicks
As a solid, experienced slasher, Brooks has the potential to be able to help out any team. Putting him on a dysfunctional team with little leadership might not be the best thing for Brooks now, but definitely he could help the Knicks if they are able to begin next season with a young point guard and somewhat of a promise.
With the Knicks, I can envision him being a sixth or seventh man and being a fan favorite if he can contribute. Similar to Arron Afflalo and Courtney Lee, Brooks could have a semi-significant impact offensively. And if his defense can come around? Even better.
Being that the Knicks are (foolishly) running the Triangle, I would worry about Dillon’s passing to some degree, since he was more of a shooter and ball dominant player at Oregon. Having said that, I think with time he could learn to thrive off drive and dish and improve his court vision.
If selected, don’t expect Brooks to be a transcendent player who will rejuvenate the organization Knicks fans. But you can expect a hard-working player who actually cares about winning, and who can bring a lot to the table if presented with the right pieces around him.
— Nick Scolaro, site writer
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