The stakes of Sunday’s third-place game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup between Canada and the United States were well below the championship final that both NBA-laden rosters had expected.
Yet, for Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks — who has had a strong World Cup run with his native Canada — it did present an opportunity to defend and attack some very talented opponents.
Buy Rockets TicketsIn a matchup with Team USA stalwarts, including Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards and Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges, Brooks was the star of the show. In leading Canada to the 127-118 win (box score) and a third-place finish, Brooks finished with a game-high 39 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He shot 12-of-18 overall (66.7% FG), 7-of-8 on 3-pointers (87.5%), and 8-of-10 on free throws (80%).
The astonishing performance by Brooks even elicited some “MVP” chants from fans in Manila, and it resulted in Canada receiving the bronze medal — its first medal in FIBA World Cup history.
Read on for highlights, interviews, postgame analysis, and immediate reaction from social media. As for Brooks, up next is the start of 2023-24 training camp with the Rockets in early October.
Dillon Brooks, Canada vs. USA
Half of the arena booing, half of the arena chanting "MVP".
This is Dillon Brooks.#FIBAWC x #WinForAll
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 10, 2023
dillon brooks was widely booed in every game because the entire pacific is warriors/lakers fans, and now he's getting MVP chants after scoring 39 points to beat USA for bronze. what an amazing journey.
— William Lou (@william_lou) September 10, 2023
good morning.
houston rocket dillon brooks dropped damn near 40 to help canada beat team USA and win bronze.
that happened.
— Brandon Caldwell (@_brandoc) September 10, 2023
Press Conference MVP Dillon Brooks with a message to the haters: "I appreciate you." ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JCGlMD90th
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks just had the best scoring performance ever against Team USA with NBA players: 39 points.
Vindication. pic.twitter.com/kAQGZagsGx
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 10, 2023
All-World Cup Team candidates
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Dillon Brooks
Dennis Schroeder
Moritz Wagner
Daniel Theis
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Nikola Milutinov
Luka DoncicThat should be it, right?
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks on villain role: "It's just a persona."
Compared to Kobe's Black Mamba persona. pic.twitter.com/FJZThVlzNp
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 10, 2023
Canada had a sensational summer, capped with its first medal ever at a FIBA Men's World Cup.
NEXT, Paris 2024 and Canada playing in its first Olympics in men's hoops in a near quarter-century.
So there was one main question for Dillon Brooks, the recruiter: pic.twitter.com/4oYkIjvWnc
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 10, 2023
Context of the performance tonight: The 39 points Dillon Brooks scored is the most for a player in a medal-winning game in FIBA World Cup history. https://t.co/h1G7xrelfJ
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 10, 2023
Rockets got a bargain. https://t.co/h1G7xrelfJ
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) September 10, 2023
"As a team, we wanted this."
Dillon Brooks speaks to @ArashMadani following @CanBball's historic victory in the #FIBAWC Bronze Medal Game. pic.twitter.com/q9p7AUK27T
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks on Noah shooting analytics at OVO helping with his shot:
"In Toronto they got this machine that helps you with your arc and I just had that number in my head every single time."
— Vivek Jacob (@vivekmjacob) September 10, 2023
DILLON BROOKS in the @FIBAWC WIN vs TEAM USA!!!
39 Points
12/18 Shooting
7/8 Threes
5 Assists
4 Rebounds
2 Blockspic.twitter.com/opPcR1MG8k— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) September 10, 2023
Austin Reaves getting iso’d and cooked by DILLON BROOKS
Hate to see it lol pic.twitter.com/940KW6tHM2
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@VatorSports) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks had WHAT
— Nekias (Nuh-KY-us) Duncan (@NekiasNBA) September 10, 2023
TCL Player of the Game Dillon Brooks set a new points record in a medal game to tow third-place Canada to their first-ever medal 👏
📊 39 PTS | 5 AST | 4 REB | 7 3PM | 42 EFF#FIBAWC x #WinForCanada 🇨🇦 | #InspireGreatness pic.twitter.com/Og5wWPyHEG
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 10, 2023
Rockets fans waking up to Dillon Brooks dropping a 39 piece with extra sauce on Team USA pic.twitter.com/TpH2DmbTKN
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@VatorSports) September 10, 2023
Bummer: Team USA lost to Team Canada
Bright spot: Dillon Brooks dropped 39 points, 4 rebounds & 5 assists
Beyond ready to see him in a @HoustonRockets uniform.
— Vanessa Richardson (@SportsVanessa) September 10, 2023
Can we get Canada Dillon Brooks in a Rockets uniform please?
I’m very happy that Dillon is proving the doubters wrong but I also need to see this in houston.
Play your game, stay out of the headlines, and understand your role.
If he sticks to that, we will be gravy 🤘🏼🚀
— Main Event JP (@JP_Mirabueno) September 10, 2023
Canada needed a hero. They got what they wished for in the one person everyone perceived as a villain. ⚔️#FIBAWC x #WinForCanada 🇨🇦https://t.co/KSv8TnNqVc
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 10, 2023
Literally zero Dillon Brooks slander is tolerated for the rest of his career.
Zero.
Especially by Canadians.
— Sahal Abdi (@sahalabdi_) September 10, 2023
Over the course of 8 games in the FIBA World Cup, Dillon Brooks averaged 15.1 points per game on an incredible 76.0 TS%.
In the entirety of his NBA career, the highest TS% he has had over an 8 game span was 67.5%, and that was only on a volume of 14 points per game.
Incredible. pic.twitter.com/pEi3f64AQQ
— Charlie Spungin (@CharlieSpungin) September 10, 2023
Canadian history pic.twitter.com/xVObVHBoCh
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks when asked about what he'd say to the haters:
"I appreciate you, from the beginning. Everyone that was throwing shots on Twitter and Instagram, watching me play. But it just helps me get better each and every day. Motivates me to get better."
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Jordi Fernandez:
"This is what it looks like when they let Dillon Brooks play"
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
From Dillon's answers, you can really tell that the Canadian coaching staff instilled a LOT of confidence in him and it paid off.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
"Just the outside world not believing in me… I love these types of games, I love these types of moments and I love when guys believe in me and appreciate me as well"
– Dillon Brooks is being really candid about his motivations in this tournament.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Arash: What's your recruiting pitch to other Canadian players for the Olympics?
Brooks: We want gold. https://t.co/5XgXcumA1h
— Blake Murphy (@BlakeMurphyODC) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks to @ArashMadani:
"As a team, we wanted this. We wanted to get this bronze medal and keep creating history. It's a great stepping stone for us… And let guys know that never came, that we have to re-up for the Olympics"
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks:
"Put a smile on our country's face was the goal and I think we did that today"
"It's a lot for the future, Canadian basketball is on the rise… we really wanted to make history… it's an amazing feeling and you cherish it the rest of your life"
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Tip your hat to every player who committed to this tournament for Canada.
But a BIG shoutout to SGA and Dillon Brooks who were the top 2 players in the tourney for Canada.
They were the heart & soul of this team, both on and off the floor.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
I love guys who are aggressive in attacking closeouts, man.
Dillon Brooks has been absolutely awesome all tournament.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
DILLON BROOKS WITH SEVEN THREES
MAPLE MENACE
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) September 10, 2023
Next time "meme culture" grabs a hold of someone…remember Dillon Brooks!
Just because the masses pile on…doesn't mean they are anywhere close to being right.
— Tim Micallef (@tim_micallef) September 10, 2023
So many USA basketball representatives in the stands just watched Dillon Brooks drop 39 points and send their country home with no medal.
— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) September 10, 2023
I think the United States will probably be able to medal at one of these big tournaments once it produces a Dillon Brooks-caliber scorer
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) September 10, 2023
Canada wins first basketball medal in 87 years, Team USA's defensive collapse is complete, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays like a superstar & Dillon Brooks has game of his life in answer to haters: https://t.co/bP72RxRV1Y
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) September 10, 2023
Fittingly Dillon Brooks (11) & Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (9) scored 20 of the last 24 points for Canada. They combined for 70 points, 10 rebounds, 17 assists on 23-38 FG & 8-11 3P in the bronze medal game. Brooks' 39 pts were the most for a Canadian in a WC game & his high as a pro
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 10, 2023
Hated the way Brooks was thrown to the wolves in Memphis. Clearly, he’s not lacking for confidence and his bank account is doing just fine but his reputation took a hit. This tourney is exactly what he needed, a chance to remind people that, yes, he is in fact a winning player.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) September 10, 2023
houston should have paid dillon brooks more
— James Herbert (@outsidethenba) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks's final World Cup stats:
– 27 MPG
– 15.1 PPG
– 2.9 RPG
– 2.6 APG
– 1.3 SPG
– 0.4 BPG
– 59.4 FG%
– 58.8 3PT% (4.2 3PA)
– 79.2 FT%
– 76 TS%Canada's 2nd best player and one of the tournament's best. pic.twitter.com/PwT2i6LRwF
— Itamar (@Itamar_17_10) September 10, 2023
DILLON BROOKS WAS A GOOD SIGNING
LOW BASKETBALL IQ FOLKS DIDNT SEE IT
I SAW IT https://t.co/01hc8d1X5H
— Rockets Astros Texans (@HTXHooper) September 10, 2023
Revised now that I’m awake: In the end, Mikal Bridges (and Cam Johnson) don’t medal but Bridges along with Shai Gilgeous Alexander of Thunder, Anthony Edwards of TWolves and Dillon Brooks of Rockets were the three NBA players who took biggest leaps at FIBA World Cup.
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) September 10, 2023
How a superhero lin 2023 looks like… Dillon Brooks#FIBAWC #canadabasketball #Rockets pic.twitter.com/586NJAMbWr
— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) September 10, 2023
Dillon Brooks just enjoyed the moment after his 39-point game vs. Team USA and the bronze medal. #FIBAWC #Canada #Rockets pic.twitter.com/pzgAQ5xvc8
— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) September 10, 2023
The "MVP" chants for Dillon Brooks are the ultimate highlight of the FIBA World Cup. End of story. #FIBAWC #Canada #Rockets
— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) September 10, 2023
Houston Rockets fans when they wake up and see how Dillon Brooks played in this World Cup game pic.twitter.com/OGocVu7qrD
— INSIDE HOOPS – NBA Basketball (@InsideHoops) September 10, 2023
