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“Villain” Dillon Brooks Makes FIBA History, as He Beats Dirk Nowitzki and Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Create a Unique Record

Published 09/10/2023, 12:05 PM EDT

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In a stunning display of athleticism, Dillon Brooks of the Canadian national basketball team delivered a performance for the ages. He has made FIBA history and set a record against the US. After the battle for the gold medal was over for Team US and Canada, it was all about the bronze medal race in a highly anticipated FIBA World Cup match. Team Canada had not won any medal since the 1930s and the US knew they were coming hard in the match.

Dillon Brooks put on a scoring clinic in the bronze medal game to finish on the podium. The 27YO Grizzlies star is infamous for his trash talk, which has made him an NBA villain. However, his performance outshined his provocation this time against the powerhouse NBA-studded US. His teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also made it the highest scorer list ever against the US in the same match.

Dillon Brooks’ Historic Performance in FIBA

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In Canada’s bronze medal game win over Team USA, Dillon Brooks put on a show for the ages. The Memphis Grizzlies forward went off for 39 points and seven threes, leading his team to victory. It was the best scoring performance ever against Team USA with NBA players. He truly outshined from his off-court banters in FIBA. After being thrown out in a game against Slovenia, he put on gloves and called out and provoked them. Just before the match, Jaren Jackson openly called Brooks out and said, “I hope Dillon [Brooks] does talk trash, otherwise it wouldn’t be him. It wouldn’t be real”. Team US seemed confident about taking on them. But Brooks and co. put on a historic show in retribution. 

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According to a ranking by HoopsHype, his 39 points are the most ever scored against Team USA with NBA players. He surpassed previous top performances by players like Ricky Rubio of Spain (38 points) and Dirk Nowitzki of Germany (34 points). Brooks’ lights-out shooting from beyond the arc also put him in elite company, as he joined Kevin Durant as the only other player to hit seven 3-pointers in a medal game. 

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This was Canada’s historic win too 

Brooks’ performance was not only historic on an individual level, but it also helped lead Canada to its first-ever medal at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. The win over Team USA was Canada’s first in FIBA World Cup history and marked their best-ever finish at the tournament. In every medal game before, the US defected Canada. 

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READ MORE: “Is that even allowed?”: After Frustrating End to FIBA World Cup, Luka Doncic’s Latest Gesture Leaves Fans Puzzled

The victory was a genuine team effort, with other Canadian players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett also contributing to the win. Shai scored the second-highest game-high 31 points for the win. He became the 4th player on the list who scored most against the US in a World Cup. But it was Brooks who stole the show with his record-breaking performance.

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Written by:

Chetan Kumar

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Chetan is an NBA content writer at Essentially Sports. Being an active basketball player since his school days, he has always been a dedicated follower of the NBA. His passion for the game has drove him to pursue a career in sports journalism.
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Edited by:

Saumya Khanduja