Canada?s own Dillion Brooks redeemed himself in the 2023 FIBA World Cup after being villainized by the NBA during last season?s playoffs. The former Memphis Grizzlies guard was at an all-time high when his team won Game 2 in the first round of the playoffs against LeBron James? Lakers, restricting the King to 28 points. Calling the 4-time Champion ?Old?, Brooks said, ?I poke bears.? 4 games later, the Memphis Grizzlies were out of the playoffs, all thanks to LeBron?s elite performance. Brooks refused to address the media after his comments backfired on him and was eventually traded from the Grizzlies.

Lakers legend Shaquille O?Neal mocked the 27-year-old for poking King James. But after his heroic performance in the Bronze-medal match against Team USA in this year?s World Cup, Shaq has backpedaled on his comments, acknowledging Brooks? ?GOATed? moment.

Shaquille O?Neal switches sides after Dillion Brooks? heroics

Dillion Brooks put on the best performance of his young career against Team USA in the bronze-medal match of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He led the game in scoring with 39 points, making 7 shots from beyond the arc. Dillion Brooks was a big reason why Team USA returned home without any hardware. Big Diesel shared a video of Dillion Brooks? ?GOATed? performance on his Instagram story, acknowledging the redemption arc of one of the NBA?s most hated villains. Shaq?s stance came as a surprise as just 5 months ago, the Hall of Famer believed Brooks would soon be out of the league.

?You get little bit of money, you start feeling yourself.? Shaq said, addressing Brooks? downfall against LeBron James in the playoffs. The 4-time Champion also warned Brooks that he might be out of the NBA very soon if he does not get his act together. He mocked the young guard, saying that he has seen several memes of Brooks and Dwight Howard dominating in Taiwan next season. Obviously, Shaq had to mention his arch-nemesis, Dwight Howard.

The FIBA World Cup might be the turning point for Dillion Brooks

Dillion Brooks might want to erase the 2022-23 season from his memory. After getting humiliated by LeBron, Brooks was abandoned by the Memphis Grizzlies. Many thought he would be out of the league in no time. But the Houston Rockets picked the 27-year-old up on a massive 4-year $80 million contract, giving him a second chance. Despite Brooks’ antics, he was a solid player for the Grizzlies. He averaged 14.5 points in the six seasons he played there.

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He proved his worth in the FIBA World Cup by averaging 15.1 points, leading his nation to the Bronze medal. His performance in the World Cup might be the turning point for the young guard as fans are starting to root for him again.

Brooks would like to carry this momentum to the upcoming NBA season and help the Houston Rockets rebuild their franchise.

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