EXCLUSIVE: PC’s Brooks Leaving School To Prepare For NBA

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Scott Cordischi, GoLocalProv Sports Editor

PC students will be returning from Spring Break on Monday and Friars star Marshon Brooks will be a notable absence. Following a sensational senior season at Providence College, Brooks has decided that finishing his degree can wait for the time being.

Reached by phone last night, Brooks said, “I plan on spending some time in Atlanta and then going to New Jersey to start training for my NBA workouts before returning to Providence in mid-April to drop my classes.”

Brooks says he needs only 6 credits to graduate and is exploring the option of taking classes on-line to finish his degree. Whatever his decision may be, he is now clearly focused on trying to make the NBA and not on finishing the school year.

“I’ll be back for the team banquet and to drop my classes but I want to get ready for the draft,” he said.

Most NBA scouts have Brooks tabbed as either a second round pick or a late first rounder. He is hearing the same thing. In fact, Brooks says scouts have been honest with him about their assessment of his game. “The scouts have been raving about my offense saying I’m a complete player who can score in many ways. They question my motive and my defense,” he said.

When asked to explain why they question his motive, Brooks said, “there were games where I was quiet and then rattled off 10 straight points so they thought that maybe I wasn’t giving it my all all the time.” Brooks doesn’t believe that was the case but is certainly receptive to the constructive criticism as he tries to achieve his goal of playing in the NBA.

He hasn’t signed with an agent yet but is currently interviewing some. He will be working out with trainer Larry Marshall in New Jersey. Marshall was Andrew Bynum’s AAU coach and will be working with Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson as well.

As for Brooks experience at PC, he looks back at it with mixed feelings. “Steve DeMeo recruited me and I talk to him and coach Welsh every once in a while,” he said. “I knew coming into college I could be a lot better than people were giving me credit for.”

Brooks really felt like he was a legitimate NBA prospect following his junior season. “I worked my butt off over the summer knowing that the ball was going to be in my hands all the time and it paid off,” he said.

Brooks is sorry that the results for his team were not as good as his individual performance which earned him First Team All-Big East honors. “I don’t know why it didn’t work out with Keno and I really don’t want to get into that,” he said. “It’s hard watching the NCAA Tournament right now ‘cause I want to be playing in it.”

Now he hopes that the next time Friar fans see him play will be in the NBA.

Photo Courtesy of PC