Marshon Brooks
Encyclopedia
Marshon Brooks is an American professional basketball shooting guard
with the New Jersey Nets
of the National Basketball Association
. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics
with the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
.
and lived there until he was six years old, when his family moved to Tucker, Georgia
. He attended Tucker High School
.
for the Providence Friars
. Not heavily recruited out of high school, Brooks saw little playing time his freshman (2007–08) and sophomore (2008–09) seasons.
Brooks began to become a major contributor for the Friars in his junior season (2009–10
). He averaged 14.2 points a game, shooting 46.7% from the field. Brooks posted 20 points or more in several games, including a 24-point game on 8-of-10 shooting against Vermont
on November 24, 2009, a game in which he also picked up five steals. He recorded 25 points and five rebounds on January 23, 2010 against South Florida.
As a senior in 2010–11
, Brooks averaged 24.6 points per game, first in the Big East. Besides leading his team in scoring and rebounding, he was second in Division I in scoring. He was named to the 30-player national midseason watchlist and was one of 20 national finalists for the 2011 John R. Wooden Award
.
On February 23, 2011, Brooks scored 52 points against Notre Dame
, tying the school record held by Marvin Barnes
, and breaking the Big East record of 48 points in a game. He scored 35 points in the second half alone, 15 of them in the final 2:57, leading a comeback that would fall short as Notre Dame picked up the win, 94–93. Brooks scored his final points on a 3-point shot with two seconds remaining, leaving the Friars down a point. He hit 20-of-28 shots on the night. Fellow Friar Eric Murdock
held the previous record of 48, set against Pittsburgh
in 1991. It was also Brooks' second 40-point game of the season; he had 43 in a loss at Georgetown
on February 5, 2011. He became only the third player in Providence history with two 40-point games in a season.
On March 5, 2011, Brooks scored 28 points in a regular season-ending win over Rutgers
, giving him 468 points on the Big East regular season. That broke the previous single-season conference mark of 462 points set by Connecticut
's Donyell Marshall
in 1994.
Brooks finished his college career with 1,629 points, ninth all-time for Providence. On March 28, 2011, he was named a third-team Associated Press
All-American
. He was picked to the Fourth Team All-America by Fox Sports.
Brooks left Providence College with two months left in his senior year to focus on preparing for the 2011 NBA Draft. Brooks left school two classes short of obtaining his degree.
He was drafted by the Boston Celtics
in 2011, but the Celtics immediately traded Brooks to the New Jersey Nets
for the Celtics' 27th overall pick in the 2011 draft, JaJuan Johnson
, and a second round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
with the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
with the 25th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft
2011 NBA Draft
The 2011 NBA Draft was held on June 23, 2011 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The draft started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball...
.
Early years
Brooks was born in Long Branch, New JerseyLong Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
and lived there until he was six years old, when his family moved to Tucker, Georgia
Tucker, Georgia
Tucker is a census-designated place in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The population was 27,581 at the 2010 Census. Although central Tucker, also known as "Main Street Tucker", is laid out as a planned "railroad town," it has never been formally incorporated. Municipal services such as...
. He attended Tucker High School
Tucker High School
Tucker High School is the only public high school in Tucker, an unincorporated section of DeKalb County, Georgia, and is operated by the DeKalb County School System...
.
College career
Brooks played collegiate basketball in the Big East ConferenceBig East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
for the Providence Friars
Providence Friars
The Providence Friars is the name of the athletic teams of Providence College. They compete in the Big East Conference for every sport except for ice hockey, where they compete in Hockey East and in women's volleyball, where they compete in the America East Conference...
. Not heavily recruited out of high school, Brooks saw little playing time his freshman (2007–08) and sophomore (2008–09) seasons.
Brooks began to become a major contributor for the Friars in his junior season (2009–10
2009–10 Providence Friars men's basketball team
The 2009–10 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College in the Big East Conference. The team finished with a 4–14 conference record and a 12–19 record overall....
). He averaged 14.2 points a game, shooting 46.7% from the field. Brooks posted 20 points or more in several games, including a 24-point game on 8-of-10 shooting against Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on November 24, 2009, a game in which he also picked up five steals. He recorded 25 points and five rebounds on January 23, 2010 against South Florida.
As a senior in 2010–11
2010–11 Providence Friars men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Providence Friars men's basketball team represented Providence College in the Big East Conference. The team finished with a 4–14 conference record and a 15–17 record overall....
, Brooks averaged 24.6 points per game, first in the Big East. Besides leading his team in scoring and rebounding, he was second in Division I in scoring. He was named to the 30-player national midseason watchlist and was one of 20 national finalists for the 2011 John R. Wooden Award
John R. Wooden Award
The John R. Wooden Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's and women's college basketball players. The program consists of the men's and women's Player of the Year awards, the Legends of Coaching award and recognizes the All–America Teams.The awards, given by the Los...
.
On February 23, 2011, Brooks scored 52 points against Notre Dame
2010–11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2010–2011 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Fighting Irish were coached by Mike Brey and played their home games at the Edmund P. Joyce Center in Notre Dame, Indiana. The Fighting Irish...
, tying the school record held by Marvin Barnes
Marvin Barnes
Marvin Jerome Barnes is a former professional American basketball player.As a 6'8" forward for Providence College, Barnes led the nation in rebounding in 1973-74. On December 15, 1973, Barnes scored 52 points against Austin Peay, breaking the single-game school record...
, and breaking the Big East record of 48 points in a game. He scored 35 points in the second half alone, 15 of them in the final 2:57, leading a comeback that would fall short as Notre Dame picked up the win, 94–93. Brooks scored his final points on a 3-point shot with two seconds remaining, leaving the Friars down a point. He hit 20-of-28 shots on the night. Fellow Friar Eric Murdock
Eric Murdock
Eric Lloyd Murdock is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Utah Jazz in the 1st round of the 1991 NBA Draft....
held the previous record of 48, set against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
in 1991. It was also Brooks' second 40-point game of the season; he had 43 in a loss at Georgetown
2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
The 2010–11 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team represented Georgetown University in the 2010–2011 NCAA Division I basketball season. In November, the team played in and won the Charleston Classic tournament. During the February 23 game against the Cincinnati Bearcats, senior Chris Wright...
on February 5, 2011. He became only the third player in Providence history with two 40-point games in a season.
On March 5, 2011, Brooks scored 28 points in a regular season-ending win over Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's basketball
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights Men's Basketball team represents Rutgers University and is a NCAA Division I college basketball team, which competes in the Big East Conference...
, giving him 468 points on the Big East regular season. That broke the previous single-season conference mark of 462 points set by Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies men's basketball
The Connecticut Huskies is the name of the men's college basketball team representing the University of Connecticut, in Storrs, Connecticut, USA. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big East Conference...
's Donyell Marshall
Donyell Marshall
Donyell Lamar Marshall is a retired American professional basketball player, at the small forward and power forward positions. During his extensive NBA career, he played with eight different teams...
in 1994.
Brooks finished his college career with 1,629 points, ninth all-time for Providence. On March 28, 2011, he was named a third-team Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-American
2011 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
An All-American team is an honorary sports team composed of the best amateur players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...
. He was picked to the Fourth Team All-America by Fox Sports.
Brooks left Providence College with two months left in his senior year to focus on preparing for the 2011 NBA Draft. Brooks left school two classes short of obtaining his degree.
He was drafted by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in 2011, but the Celtics immediately traded Brooks to the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for the Celtics' 27th overall pick in the 2011 draft, JaJuan Johnson
JaJuan Johnson
JaJuan Markeis Johnson is an American professional basketball player with the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. He played collegiate basketball at Purdue University. During his sophomore season, he was named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection. As a junior, he was named a...
, and a second round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.