The top two teams coming into the FIBA World Cup were expected to be the two teams with the most NBA players on them, which were Team USA and Canada.
It seemed like the first time that Canada had finally caught up with the United States in terms of talent on their basketball squad, and that was on full display on Sunday.
Even though Team USA and Canada were considered the two teams left standing in the tournament, neither reached the final, as Germany and Serbia went on to battle it out for gold.
This led to the matchup everyone had been waiting for, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and company going up against Anthony Edwards and his stacked squad of American stars.
Although they were competing for the gold with only bronze on the line, Canada came to play on Sunday, with one unexpected player rising above the rest.
Houston Rockets newcomer Dillon Brooks put on a show against Team USA as he finished with a remarkable stat line, namely a game-high 39 points while hitting seven out of eight three-point attempts via StatMuse.
Dillon Brooks today:
39 PTS
4 REB
5 AST
12-18 FG
7-8 3P (!!)Knocked off Team USA. pic.twitter.com/8QAlumsfq0
— StatMuse (@statmuse) September 10, 2023
Over the past year or so, Brooks has gotten a lot of criticism for his style of play and his unforgiving attitude, as he has decided to embrace the villain role in the NBA rather than shy away from it, which seems to be working.
Even though he was unable to remain with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Rockets seemed to be more than ready to commit to him with a four-year deal worth $80, making him a high-priced talent with a defensive focus.
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Miami Heat Player Trolls Dillon Brooks After World Cup Defeat