In a shocking development, Canada’s Dillon Brooks is making headlines again.
One day after calling himself the “best perimeter defender” in the world, the ever-polarizing forward was in the news again Friday after Canada fell to Serbia in the FIBA World Cup semifinals.
Nikola Jovic rubbed salt in the wound of Canada’s loss when he mocked the viral boxing celebration Brooks did after the Canadians topped Slovenia in the quarters.
Brooks, who was ejected from Canada’s quarterfinals win after picking up two unsportsmanlike fouls, went viral after he put on boxing gloves and waited in the hallway for his teammates. When Brooks saw head coach Jordi Fernandez, he pretended to throw a few quick jabs in celebration.
Jovic then trolled Brooks and the Canadians by doing the same thing Friday, minus the boxing gloves.
According to the Toronto Star’s Doug Smith, the boxing theme was the idea of Canada’s long-time sports psychologist, Dr. Peter Jensen, who thought of the idea before the Canadians’ opening game of the tournament.
Canada then adopted the boxing mantra of wearing down an opponent by constant attack, as it attempted to beat teams that were usually bigger and stronger physically.
Boxing gloves were purchased and put in the lockers of all the players before the game against Slovenia as the team fully adopted the mentality.
For the majority of the tournament, the strategy worked. But Serbia’s size gave the Canadians trouble on Sunday and they will now have to settle for a bronze-medal matchup with the Americans on Sunday.
You can watch the Canadians take on the high-powered Americans on Sunday at 4:30 a.m. ET / 1:30 a.m. PT on Sportsnet and SN NOW.
