Darren Brooks
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Darren Darnell Brooks (born August 28, 1982) is American professional basketball player. A 6'3" 205 pound (93 kg) point guard / shooting guard, Brooks' professional career began in 2005–06 and has taken him to numerous countries and leagues around the world. He is best known in the United States for his collegiate career at
Southern Illinois University Carbondale Southern Illinois University (SIU or SIUC) is a public research university in Carbondale, Illinois. Founded in 1869, SIU is the oldest and flagship campus of the Southern Illinois University system. The university enrolls students from all 50 st ...
(SIU), here he was the back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He now coaches high school basketball at the charter school, High Point Academy and has his own basketball academy.


Early life and personal

Brooks was born in
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
to parents Jacqueline, who is a real estate agent, and Thomas, who works for
Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...
. He was a multi-sport star athlete at Jennings High School while playing
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
for the football team,
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
and
shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists wh ...
for the
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
team, and as an undersized
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
for the basketball team. He played QB on his high school football team and was named Player of the Year in the conference. He also led the league in passing yards and TD passes and it was said he can throw a football 60+ yards. Both Wisconsin and Iowa asked him to walk-on and play QB for their schools. He also played shortstop and pitcher in high school. The Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks tried to persuade him to play pro baseball, but he decided to stick with basketball. Despite being only 6'3", Brooks was utilized as an undersized center. During his 1999–2000 senior season, he averaged 25.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game and guided his school to a 26–8 record where they lost in the state's 3A semifinals. For the year, Brooks scored a still-standing school record 775 points. He was a finalist for the " Mr. Show-Me Basketball" award, which is given annually to the top boys' high school basketball player in the state of
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
. To cap his career he scored 24 points in the Missouri All-Stars game.


College

Brooks entered SIU in 2000–01 and played in two total games during his freshman season before redshirting the remainder of the year. As a redshirt freshman the next season, he came off the bench to average 9.4 points per game while his 340 total points were the seventh most in the nation for players who did not start. In a first round match-up of the 2002 NCAA Tournament he scored 16 points as #11 SIU upset #6 
Texas Tech Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sys ...
, 76–68. The Salukis were the "darling" of that year's tournament by making it all the way to the Sweet 16 before losing to #2 
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
, 71–59. In 2002–03, Brooks' sophomore season, he increased his scoring, rebounding, assists and steals per game averages. His 62 total steals were the most in the
Missouri Valley Conference The Missouri Valley Conference (also called MVC or simply "The Valley") is the third-oldest collegiate athletic conference in the United States. The conference's members are primarily located in the midwest. History The MVC was established ...
and the second most in school history, while his 103 assists were the eighth most. He was named to the All-MVC Defensive Team and also earned the league's Most Improved Player award. SIU qualified for that year's NCAA Tournament but lost in the opening round. Brooks'
junior Junior or Juniors may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * ''Junior'' (Junior Mance album), 1959 * ''Junior'' (Röyksopp album), 2009 * ''Junior'' (Kaki King album), 2010 * ''Junior'' (LaFontaines album), 2019 Films * ''Junior'' (1994 ...
year saw him earn his first of two MVC Player of the Year and MVC Defensive Player of the Year awards as well as selections to the All-Defensive Team, First Team All-Conference and All-MVC Tournament Team. His 16.5 points per game led the conference while Brooks also landed in the top 10 in rebounds (8th), assists (9th) and steals (2nd). In a game against
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals * A male duck People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name * Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * ...
he recorded a school-record eight steals. The
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
also named him an honorable mention All-American. The Salukis earned an at-large bid to the 2004 NCAA Tournament where they were given the #9 seed. They lost in the first round to #8 
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...
by one point, however. As a senior in 2004–05, Brooks entered the year as the consensus preseason conference player of the year. He did not disappoint, leading SIU to their fourth consecutive regular season Missouri Valley Conference championship. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals and broke the program's single season records for steals (70) and assists (150). In the early season
Las Vegas Invitational The Shriners Children's Open is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour in Nevada. Founded in 1983, it is the fourth event of the Tour's 2019–20 wrap-around season and is played annually in October in Las Vegas. It is currently held at the TPC Sum ...
, Brooks was named the Tournament MVP. On the year he was in the conference's top five in several major per-game statistical categories, including steals (1st), assists (5th) and points (5th). Once again, SIU qualified for the NCAA Tournament, this time as a #7 seed. After defeating # 10 Saint Mary's in the opening round, the Salukis lost to #2 
Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
, 85–77, in the round of 32, thus ending Brooks' collegiate career. When Brooks graduated in 2005, he had become one of the most decorated men's basketball players in Missouri Valley Conference history. He was the first player ever to win both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive seasons. Only one other player,
Hersey Hawkins Hersey R. Hawkins Jr. (born September 29, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. After starring at Chicago's Westinghouse High School, the 6'3" (1.90 m) shooting guard attended Bradley University. Hawkins played for 4 teams ...
of
Bradley Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad meadow" in Old English. Like many English surnames Bradley can also be used as a given name and as such has become popular. It is also an Anglicisation of t ...
, had compiled at least 1,500 points, 600 rebounds, 400 assists and 250 steals. Brooks also won more games in a Saluki uniform than any other player in school history, and his guidance in their four consecutive regular season conference championships has not been duplicated. Despite his lauded career, Brooks went undrafted in that year's National Basketball Association Draft.


Professional

When he was passed up in the draft, Brooks signed with the
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
team
MPC Capitals Donar, also known as Donar Groningen, is a professional basketball club based in Groningen, Netherlands. The club competes in the BNXT League and its home arena is MartiniPlaza, which has a seating capacity of 4,350 people. Donar is one o ...
and played for them until November. Appearing in only six games, he then left the squad and signed with the
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
team Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski. He recorded seven points, three rebounds, one assist and, one block in his only game with the team. Finally, in February 2006, he signed with the NBA Development League's
Albuquerque Thunderbirds Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
for the remainder of the 2005–06 season. He appeared in 23 games and was part of the championship-winning Thunderbirds—their lone championship title before disbanding—as they defeated the
Fort Worth Flyers The Fort Worth Flyers were a minor league basketball team in the NBA Development League (D-League) based in Fort Worth, Texas. They began play in the 2005–06 season and were shut down for the 2007–08 season. Franchise history In 2005, Sout ...
in the one-game final. The following year, Brooks traveled to Australia to play for the
Perth Wildcats The Perth Wildcats are an Australian professional basketball team based in Perth, Western Australia. The Wildcats compete in the National Basketball League (Australia), National Basketball League (NBL) and play their home games at Perth Arena, ...
in the National Basketball League. He had a successful tenure with the Wildcats – he appeared in 34 games and averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game. His steals average was the second highest in the league. Brooks shot 49% from the field and 40% from three-point range. In May 2007, he temporarily signed with
Atléticos de San Germán Atléticos de San Germán is a basketball club of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) based in San Germán, Puerto Rico. Founded in the 1930s after the amalgamation of the old San Germán team and the Farmacia Martín team, the team is one of ...
of
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
's
Baloncesto Superior Nacional The Baloncesto Superior Nacional, abbreviated as BSN, is the first-tier-level professional men's basketball league in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 1929 and is organized by the Puerto Rican Basketball Federation. The Baloncesto Superior Naci ...
, appearing in only nine games. For the 2007–08 season he traveled to Germany for a stint on BG Göttingen, a team that competes in the Basketball Bundesliga. In 33 games he averaged 13.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Once again, Brooks left after one year. He then suited up for APOEL B.C. in
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
but only played in the 2009–10 preseason.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brooks, Darren 1982 births Living people Albuquerque Thunderbirds players American expatriate basketball people in Australia American expatriate basketball people in Cyprus American expatriate basketball people in Germany American expatriate basketball people in the Netherlands American expatriate basketball people in Poland APOEL B.C. players Atléticos de San Germán players Baloncesto Superior Nacional players Basketball players from St. Louis BG Göttingen players Donar (basketball club) players Perth Wildcats players Point guards Shooting guards Southern Illinois Salukis men's basketball players Stal Ostrów Wielkopolski players American men's basketball players