Skip to main content

Dillon Brooks Helps His High School Alma Mater With Significant Financial Donation

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby:Lawrence Fernandez•12/29/24•

lawandfern

Dillon Brooks
© Erik Williams-Imagn Images

It’s easy to dislike Dillon Brooks because of his brash on-court attitude and controversial statements. However, there’s a charitable side to him, as Houston Rockets sideline reporter Vanessa Richardson shared.

Richardson pointed out that the Rockets’ December 22 game against the Toronto Raptors was Brooks’s homecoming. In his brief time back in Canada, he visited his high school alma mater, Father Henry Carr. In return, his school organized the inaugural ‘Dillon Brooks Day’ to honor his contributions to the team.

The events included the first ‘Dillon Brooks Cup’ featuring his former team. The school also honored its distinguished alumnus by framing his Rockets jerseys and sharing his high school basketball photos during an honoring ceremony. Brooks’ family was in attendance during the festivities.

However, the seven-year NBA veteran isn’t done impacting his squad. As Richardson added, Brooks made a significant monetary contribution after learning that the program was experiencing financial difficulties. In addition to his donation, current Crusaders players received Nike shoes and tracksuits.

“My high school coach, Paul Melnik, did everything for me. I wanted that program to continue,” Brooks said through Richardson.

Brooks played for Father Henry Carr from 2010 to 2013. He led the Crusaders to three undefeated seasons and back-to-back Toronto Catholic Junior Championships. Brooks won a Toronto Catholic Senior Championship and an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Silver Medal.

After playing for Father Henry Carr, Dillon Brooks suited up for Nevada’s Findlay Prep. He then played for the University of Oregon, where he became the 2017 Pac-12 Player of the Year. His accolades in college basketball prompted the Rockets to select him in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

However, the Rockets traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft night. Dillon Brooks scored 19 points on his NBA debut, the most by a Canadian-born player. In 2023, Brooks joined the Rockets via a sign-and-trade and became an NBA All-Defensive Second Team member.