Jeff Brooks

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Jeff Brooks

| image = Jeff Brooks Italy (cropped).jpg

| caption = Brooks in October 2018

| position = Power forward

| height_m = 2.03

| weight_kg = 100

| league = LBA

| team = Pallacanestro Trieste

| number = 23

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|6|12}}

| birth_place = Louisville, Kentucky

| nationality = American / Italian

| high_school = Doss (Louisville, Kentucky)

| college = Penn State (2007–2011)

| draft_year = 2011

| career_start = 2011

| career_end =

| years1 = 2011–2012

| team1 = Aurora Jesi

| years2 = 2012–2013

| team2 = Cantù

| years3 = 2013–2014

| team3 = Juvecaserta

| years4 = 2014–2015

| team4 = Dinamo Sassari

| years5 = 2015–2016

| team5 = Avtodor Saratov

| years6 = 2016–2018

| team6 = Unicaja Malaga

| years7 = 2018–2021

| team7 = Olimpia Milano

| years8 = 2021–2024

| team8 = Reyer Venezia

| years9 = 2024–present

| team9 = Trieste

| highlights =

2x Italian Cup winner (2021, 2015)
4× Italian Supercup winner (2020, 2018, 2014, 2012)
EuroCup champion (2017)
Italian Serie A champion (2015)
Italian League All-Star (2014)

}}

Jeff Brooks (born June 12, 1989) is an American-born naturalized Italian professional basketball player for Trieste of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He also represents the Italian national team.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/it/nazionali/nazionali/287993/italia-si-aggregano-oggi-amedeo-della-valle-e-jeff-brooks.html|title=Italia: si aggregano oggi Amedeo Della Valle e Jeff Brooks|date=9 September 2018|access-date=9 September 2018|publisher=Sportando.basketball|language=it|trans-title=Italy: Amedeo Della Valle and Jeff Brooks will join the team today}}

College career

After playing high school basketball at Doss High School, in Louisville, Kentucky, Brooks played 4 seasons of college basketball at the Pennsylvania State University, with the Penn State Nittany Lions.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/brooks_jeff00.html |title=Penn State Bio |access-date=2014-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171024051224/http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/brooks_jeff00.html |archive-date=2017-10-24 |url-status=dead }}

Professional career

On July 20, 2011, he signed with Aurora Basket Jesi of the Italian Legadue Basket for the 2011–12 season.[http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/a2-gold/87514/aurora-basket-jesi-lands-rookie-jeff-brooks.html Aurora Basket Jesi lands rookie Jeff Brooks]

On July 31, 2012, he signed with Pallacanestro Cantù for the 2012–13 season.[http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/99027/180/cantu-tabs-forward-brooks Cantu tabs forward Brooks ] With Cantù he won the Italian Supercup and played in the 2012–13 Euroleague.

On August 9, 2013, he signed with Juvecaserta Basket for the 2013–14 season.[http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/104784/juve-caserta-announce-jeff-brooks.html Juve Caserta announce Jeff Brooks] He was selected to play at the 2014 Serie A All-Star game.[http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/115593/roster-for-all-star-game-italia-named.html Roster for All-Star Game Italia named]

On June 13, 2014, he signed a one-year deal with Dinamo Sassari.[http://www.sportando.com/en/italy/serie-a/122708/dinamo-sassari-announces-jeff-brooks.html Dinamo Sassari announces Jeff Brooks] With Sassari, he won the Italian Serie A and the Italian Cup in 2015.

On July 17, 2015, he signed a two-year deal with Avtodor Saratov.[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923233045/http://www.eurocupbasketball.com/eurocup/news/i/67hlm93e69eo5gvr Avtodor inks versatile forward Brooks] After one season he left Saratov and signed a one-year deal with Spanish club Unicaja.[http://www.eurohoops.net/transfers/275726/jeff-brooks-joins-unicaja-malaga Jeff Brooks joins Unicaja Malaga] In the 2016–17 season, Brooks won the EuroCup with Unicaja after beating Valencia BC in the Finals.{{Cite news|url=https://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/eurocup/game-center/|title=7DAYS EuroCup Finals, Game 3: Unicaja Malaga is the champion!|date=5 April 2017|access-date=6 April 2017|publisher=Eurocupbasketball.com}}

On June 25, 2018, Brooks signed a two-year deal with Italian club Olimpia Milano.{{cite news |title=Olimpia Milano officially signs Jeff Brooks |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/italy/serie-a/278613/olimpia-milano-officially-signs-jeff-brooks.html |access-date=25 June 2018 |work=Sportando |date=25 June 2018}}{{cite news |title=Olimpia Milano officially signs Jeff Brooks |url=http://www.euroleague.net/news/i/8tv5bppbjji8gkky/ax-milan-signs-experienced-forward-brooks |access-date=25 June 2018 |work=EuroLeague.net|date=25 June 2018}} On June 11, 2020, he announced he was returning to the team for a third season.{{cite news |title=Milano forward Jeff Brooks confirms "Round 3 is official" |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/milano-forward-jeff-brooks-confirms-round-3-is-official/ |website=Sportando |access-date=June 11, 2020 |date=June 11, 2020|last1=Borghesan |first1=Ennio Terrasi }}

On July 1, 2021, Brooks, after three years, left Milano and signed a multi-year contract with rivals Reyer Venezia.{{cite web |title=Ufficiale: l'Umana Reyer firma Jeff Brooks! |url=https://www.reyer.it/ufficiale-lumana-reyer-firma-jeff-brooks/ |publisher=reyer.it |date=1 July 2021 |language=Italian }}

Career statistics

= Domestic Leagues =

| style="text-align:left;" | 2011–12

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Fileni BPA Jesi

| style="text-align:left;" | LegaDue

| 28 || 35.0 || 56.6% || 40.9% || 77.4% || 6.9 || 0.9 || 1.7 || 0.4 || 17.0

| style="text-align:left;" | 2012–13

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Lenovo Cantù

| style="text-align:left;" | Serie A

| 43 || 24.3 || 50.6% || 32.7% || 77.1% || 4.9 || 0.9 || 0.7 || 0.7 || 7.9

| style="text-align:left;" | 2013–14

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Pasta Reggia Caserta

| style="text-align:left;" | Serie A

| 30 || 31.4 || 55.1% || 45.2% || 77.0% || 6.3 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 0.5 || 14.4

| style="text-align:left;" | 2014–15

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} Banco di Sardegna Sassari

| style="text-align:left;" | Serie A

| 21 || 28.3 || 44.4% || 31.9% || 81.6% || 7.5 || 1.3 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 8.7

| style="text-align:left;" | 2015–16

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|RUS}} Avtodor Saratov

| style="text-align:left;" | VTB United League

| 26 || 27.3 || 53.9% || 41.9% || 78.5% || 5.8 || 2.2 || 1.2 || 0.3 || 11.0

| style="text-align:left;" | 2016–17

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ESP}} Unicaja Málaga

| style="text-align:left;" | Liga ACB

| 38 || 20.4 || 49.3% || 27.5% || 82.6% || 4.0 || 1.0 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 6.9

| style="text-align:left;" | 2017–18

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ESP}} Unicaja Málaga

| style="text-align:left;" | Liga ACB

| 33 || 20.5 || 48.3% || 37.8% || 89.4% || 4.3 || 0.9 || 0.5 || 0.2 || 8.5

| style="text-align:left;" | 2018–19

| style="text-align:left;" | {{flagicon|ITA}} AX Armani Exchange Milano

| style="text-align:left;" | Serie A

| 35 || 22.5 || 55.0% || 33.3% || 78.7% || 4.5 || 1.0 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 5.9

= European Competitions =

| style="text-align:left;"| 2012–13 Euroleague

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ITA}} Mapooro Cantù

| 10 || 3 || 23.5 || 36.7% || 10.0% || 55.6% || 4.9 || 1.3 || 0.6 || 0.0 || 8.3 || 9.2

| style="text-align:left;"| 2014–15 Euroleague

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ITA}} Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari

| 8 || 8 || 29.1 || 52.8% || 47.1% || 76.9% || 5.0 || 1.3 || 2.0 || 0.6 || 9.3 || 13.0

| style="text-align:left;"| 2015–16 Eurocup

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|RUS}} Avtodor Saratov

| 13 || 12 || 30.7 || 57.0% || 38.5% || 89.6% || 8.2 || 2.4 || 1.2 || 0.5 || 13.1 || 21.3

| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17 Eurocup

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ESP}} Unicaja Málaga

| 22 || 21 || 22.7 || 45.1% || 36.1% || 71.4% || 4.2 || 1.0 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 7.3 || 8.3

| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18 Euroleague

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ESP}} Unicaja Málaga

| 26 || 23 || 22.9 || 50.0% || 39.5% || 78.0% || 4.3 || 1.0 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 8.8 || 9.8

| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19 EuroLeague

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ITA}} AX Armani Exchange Milano

| 29 || 29 || 25.1 || 50.0% || 39.6% || 83.3% || 5.3 || 1.0 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 6.0 || 8.6

=Italian national team=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2019

| style="text-align:left;"| FIBA World Cup

| style="text-align:left;"| {{flagicon|ITA}} Italy

| 5 || 0 || 17.0 || 56.2% || 33.3% || 66.7% || 4.2 || 1.0 || 1.6 || 1.2 || 4.4

Personal life

Brooks is married to an Italian woman and they have a son.{{cite web|last1=Saraceno|first1=Alessandro|title=Esclusiva BU, Jeff Brooks: "Vorrei giocare per l'Italia! Sassari? Sarei voluto restare ma…"|url=http://www.basketuniverso.it/esclusiva-bu-jeff-brooks-vorrei-giocare-per-litalia-sassari-sarei-voluto-restare-ma/|website=BasketUniverso|access-date=April 11, 2018|language=it-IT|date=April 10, 2018}}

On September 6, 2018, Brooks became officially Italian. He got the Italian passport and he was registered to FIBA for the upcoming 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification against Poland and Hungary.{{cite web|title=Jeff Brooks officially gets Italian passport, will join Italy's NT training camp Sunday |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/national-teams/world-cup/287744/jeff-brooks-officially-gets-italian-passport-will-join-italy-s-nt-training-camp-sunday.html|website=Sportando.basketball|access-date=September 6, 2018|date=September 6, 2018}}

On June 29, 2024, he signed with Trieste of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.pallacanestrotrieste.it/jeffrey-brooks-e-il-primo-innesto-della-pallacanestro-trieste/|title=Jeffrey Brooks È Il Primo Innesto Della Pallacanestro Trieste|last=|first=|date=July 1, 2024|website=|publisher=Sportando|language=En|access-date=July 1, 2024}}

References

External links

[http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=004117 Jeff Brooks] at euroleague.net
[https://web.archive.org/web/20151222112817/http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fc/gamecent/p/pid/6054676/playerview.html Jeff Brooks] at fiba.com
[http://web.legabasket.it/player/?id=BRO-JEF-89 Jeff Brooks] at legabasket.it
[http://basketball.realgm.com/player/Jeff-Brooks/Summary/3972 Jeff Brooks] at realgm.com

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players

Category:21st-century Italian sportsmen

Category:American emigrants to Italy

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Italy

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Russia

Category:American expatriate basketball people in Spain

Category:American men's basketball players

Category:Baloncesto Málaga players

Category:Basketball players from Louisville, Kentucky

Category:BC Avtodor players