Dillon Brooks does not hold back in praising 2017 draft class

7:52 PMAt least give Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks credit for not coming out and saying that his 2017 draft class was the best in NBA history.

But to say that his class was better than the 2003 class that produced LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — that’s a big statement to make from a guy who hasn’t even completed his rookie season.

The floor is yours, Dillon:

“I think it’s better than LeBron James, Melo and D Wade’s class from top to bottom,” said Brooks, who played at Oregon. “You haven’t seen Markelle Fultz play — I played against him in the Pac-12 and he’s an amazing talent.

“You got Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Donovan Mitchell, Kyle Kuzma coming out – guys who want to prove themselves every day,” Brooks added. “It’s a hungry class from top to bottom, from round one to round two. All these guys from this class are going to do big things.”

Brooks, who is averaging 9 points and 3.1 rebounds, was selected in the second round with the 45th overall pick.

“Forty-five is too low for me,” Brooks said. “It makes me hungrier.”

Brooks, who’s from the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, is playing with the World Team in the Rising Stars game. So it’s no surprise that his early influence in basketball played for the Toronto Raptors.

“I watched Vince Carter. He had the lobs he had in Toronto when everyone was wearing the purple Toronto jerseys,” Brooks said. “He made me want to watch basketball.”