CBS Sports Ranks Dillon Brooks As One of League's Best Second-Round Draft Picks

It's good to see Dillon finally getting his credit.

Apr 2, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) argues the call against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images / Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

By now, you likely have your mind made up about Houston Rockets wing Dillon Brooks. You either view him as a dirty player who crosses the line too often or a player with a chip on his shoulder who plays his role perfectly.

Brooks is a pest who gets under his opponents' skin. Yet and still, he's one of the league's best wing defenders.

He's always been good on that end.

But his tenure in Houston has proven him to be more than just a defender. In fact, he's started to rewrite the narrative of him being a selfish player who cares more about getting his touches than he does about winning. His shots were down, compared to what we saw in Memphis and he posted his best 3-point shooting clip since 2018-19.

Brooks also found himself on a positive list (which we don't see too often), as CBS Sports' Jasmyn Wimbish ranked the Rockets forward among the league's best later-round draft picks.

"Brooks might've just missed the cut in our Top 100, but he's still an impactful player, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Part of Brooks' importance relies on his ability to get in opponents' heads, something he feeds off of, which then lends to an even better defensive performance. But that aside, he's one of the best defenders in the league, and in his first season with Houston last year, Brooks had the best 3-point shooting season of his career. Brooks' offensive development ensures he can be in the closing lineup because his defense is certainly needed in close games."

Brooks averaged 12.7 points on a career-best 54.9 percent true shooting in 2023-24.

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