Team Canada's Dillon Brooks is not concerned with the star power of Team USA's roster ahead of Wednesday's exhibition basketball game, an appetizer for both teams in preparation for the main course in Paris at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Brooks, while speaking to reporters at a Team Canada practice in Las Vegas, was asked how he "measures the challenge" of going up against the star-studded Team USA roster, which is headlined by three surefire future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers in LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
Brooks responded instead by sending Team USA a simple reminder that, even with all the offensive firepower they possess, they still need to "play defense."
"They’ve gotta guard. They’ve gotta play defense," Brooks said. "That’s my main thing. Every team that has to play against us has to guard, has to scout against us. And we’re just going to play our game and make adjustments during the game.”
Brooks also wanted Team USA to know that Team Canada, which defeated the Americans to win the bronze medal—its first in World Cup history—at the 2023 FIBA Men's Basketball World Cup, is not shying away from the matchup.
"I take it as another game, but me being who I am, I like to make a statement,” Brooks said. “So I’ll be ready to play. Team Canada will be ready to play, and we’re gonna go balls to the wall and watch the film after and see if we got better.”
Brooks prides himself on his defense and has developed a reputation in the NBA as a trash talker, having had run-ins with the likes of Curry and James during the 2022-23 regular season and playoffs, respectively.
Brooks wasn't afraid to poke two of the NBA's biggest bears then—and he certainly doesn't seem fazed by facing a whole forest full of them on Wednesday.
The Paris Olympics's opening ceremony is on July 26 and the Games's basketball action will tip off on July 27.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Canada's Dillon Brooks Had Strong Reminder for Team USA Ahead of Olympic Matchup.
