Dillon Brooks’ ex-Grizzlies teammate makes bold All-Star declaration

Dillon Brooks continued a career-best campaign on Monday, powering the Phoenix Suns to a 126-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Brooks posted a game-high 27 points while draining 6-of-9 three-point attempts. Nets forward Ziaire Williams, who was teammates with Brooks with the Memphis Grizzlies, had a blunt declaration about the Suns forward’s breakout campaign.

“He’s an all-star, in my opinion,” Williams said. “These same shots he’s been making in these games are the same shots I saw him shoot every day, before a game, after a game. He’s literally playing 30, 35, 40 minutes, and right after the game ends, he’s in the practice gym getting more reps up, and that’s just the worker he is. So it’s no surprise that, I mean, shoot, he had 27 tonight. He’s shooting the ball at a really good clip, and he just looks confident out there. He’s a great teammate, man. I hate playing against him, but you love him on your team. His competitiveness is second to none.”

Brooks landed in Phoenix as a salary filler in the offseason trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. However, the 30-year-old’s two-way presence has revitalized a sputtering Suns team.

Dillons Brooks

Brooks has averaged a career-high 20.9 points on .457/.351/.851 shooting splits while helping lead Phoenix to a surprise 26-17 record. His shooting performance on Monday came after he converted just 4-of-23 three-point attempts over his previous three appearances.

Suns head coach Jordan Ott paid little attention to Brooks’ short shooting slump.

“We know he works. It’s process-based. So whether it’s one game, two games, three games, I mean, the greatest shooters ever, that happens,” Ott said following Monday’s win. “But it’s the process. Are we taking good shots? He got nine of them up, and I thought all nine were good. So, if we take good shots, with his work, his production this season, it’s gonna [work]. He was close to 40 percent last year. So, trust the process. We know he’s going to work. I actually saw him in the lobby going to shoot before the Knicks game, at night, so it’s not a surprise.”

Brooks is vying for his All-Star appearance amid his breakout campaign. He finished 14th in the media voting. Twelve players from each conference — five starters and seven reserves — will make the team, regardless of position.

While Brooks’ season has been impressive, he’s unlikely to earn a selection over stars on the bubble, such as his Suns teammate Devin Booker and Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija. The NBA’s head coaches will vote on reserves, which will be announced on Feb. 1.

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