New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (15) shakes hands with ex-Husky forward Keion Brooks Jr., who had a big night. Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Former UW Standout Brooks Has Career NBA Outing

Originally posted on Washington Huskies on SI
By Dan Raley | Last updated Apr 1, 2025 2:01 PM ET

The NBA continues to look good on Keion Brooks.

On a Sunday night across the league in which former University of Washington basketball players Isaiah Stewart got ejected for fighting, Mattise Thybulle went scoreless and Jaden McDaniels had a 2-point outing, Brooks was the big show.

A Husky senior just a year ago, the 6-foot-7 Brooks came off the bench for the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night and turned in a career outing in a 98-94 victory over the Charlotte Hornets with17 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.

"God put me here to maximize the best of my abilities," he told reporters afterward. "It's been a dream to do this and it's worked out well."

SUNDAY'S FINAL SCORES

Keion Brooks Jr. has a career night as the @PelicansNBA get the home W over Charlotte!

Antonio Reeves: 16 PTS, 4 3PM
Kelly Olynyk: 13 PTS, 6 REB https://t.co/YQe8pCuO9a pic.twitter.com/cVbuFxJaqf
— NBA (@NBA) March 31, 2025

Brooks has had to do it the hard way, going undrafted and being forced to prove himself in the G League first.

However, he's turned in seven NBA games now, including a start, as the Pelicans have given him full opportunity to audition in real time.

"Its a testament of God. God put me here to maximize the best of my abilities... It's been a dream to do this."

-- Keion Brooks Jr. on his journey this season pic.twitter.com/WBYkbxDgns
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) March 31, 2025

Against the Hornets, he connected on 7 of 12 shots from the floor, 1 for 4 from 3-point range, and pulled 26 minutes for his second-longest outing of the season.

For the most part, Brooks always has resembled a future NBA player with his smooth style when he spent three seasons at Kentucky and two more at the UW.

He's just needed to show he could shoot the 3-pointer with higher accuracy and play a rougher brand of basketball required in the pros, and he's done that.

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This article first appeared on Washington Huskies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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