Kelvin Sampson, his coach at the University of Houston, once said that Armoni Brooks was the classic guy everyone wanted their daughter to marry. The Coach wanted to praise his character, reliability and seriousness: “This is about the way I was raised, I come from a great family and there are traits that they passed on to me, such as caring or the importance of the family itself that have led him to say this… I don’t know”, Armoni laughs recalling that episode. Sampson is one of the big names in college basketball: he coached Oklahoma, he coached Indiana and then built another winning program in Houston. “I owe a lot to Coach Kelvin Sampson – says Brooks -. His practices were intense, but even off the court, he always tried to build relationships, he would come and talk to you to make sure everything was going well and if you understood what we were doing. So, when you entered practice, you felt more part of a family than a school. The University of Houston is this: they have been three amazing years.”
Armoni Brooks is a Texan, a state that has always had a special relationship with Olimpia, just remember Curtis Jerrells and Keith Langford. Especially Langford because he has been a sort of mentor to Brooks in recent years. No one was happier than him to see his protege wearing the same jersey he used to wear, in the same place where he was happy. “I texted him in the summer to tell him I signed here. He was super excited. He told me that I would love it here, he gave me some advice on adjusting. He says it’s a great opportunity for me.”
The story of their friendship, a big brother-to-little brother relationship, dates to when Keith retired and moved back to Austin full time. “He saw me practicing in a gym and came to me with the idea of playing one-on-one. Then there was also his trainer. And we have always stayed in touch since then. Last summer we worked out together a few times. He gave me advice, tips on how to take advantage of certain situations for myself and for the team. Now we talk at least once a week, for me he is a role model. He is someone I can look up to when I need advice, because I know he will help me,” says Brooks.
The passion for basketball was born with him. His father was an enthusiast player who used to spend a lot of time in the gym. As soon as he was able to walk, Armoni insisted on following him everywhere. “I was attached to him, all I wanted to do was go to the gym, play basketball, shoot, then try to dunk. Basketball has been part of my life since I was probably one,” he smiles. At McNeill High School in Austin, he was considered a good but not world-class prospect, but he still got a spot on the University of Houston roster. It was kind of a basketball culture shock. “In high school, I was generally more athletic than the other kids and didn’t need to shoot from outside, but when I got to college everyone was taller, bigger, faster,” he says. It was then that he decided that shooting would become his best weapon. “It’s not a God-given talent, it’s something I’ve worked on, for hours and hours. It really came around during my three years in college until it became my best weapon. But I want to continue using it, working on it, expanding it.”
After an under-the-radar first year with the Cougars, he averaged 4.4 points per game for a team that finished the year unranked, with a 21-11 record, an impressive leap came in the second year. Even though he was one of the best players on the team, he was used as a sixth man. “I tried to embrace my role in a team that was very good. Whatever Coach asked me to do, I never let my ego be in my way. I didn’t need to start or play a certain number of minutes. I listened to what the coach needed me to do to win games and tried to do to the best of my capabilities. And then coming off the bench has its advantages: it allows you to get a feel for the game and prepare yourself mentally for when your time comes.”
A very good season came to an end in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a one-point loss to Michigan. And in those two games, Brooks played below his potential. But when he returned for the third season, he was at its best and the team was ready to make him the go-to guy. In 2018/19, Houston won 33 out of 37 games and was also ranked number 1 at one point. Brooks finished the year averaging 13.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. “We basically had ten starters and when the first five went out we never missed a beat. We had a great season for this reason, and then each of us was accountable, we pused each other. This allowed us to win a lot. At the end of the season one tough shot eliminated us from the NCAA Tournament, but it was an amazing year for our school,” he recalls. The shot Brooks talks about took place in the third round, against Kentucky, a game in which he had 20 points with six threes. But in the closing seconds, a tough three made by Tyler Herro, now a shooter for the Miami Heat, decided the outcome of the game.
At that point, Brooks decided to try the draft route. “I didn’t expect to be drafted, I left after three years betting on myself. I knew I was capable of playing in the NBA and I just needed an opportunity, whether I was drafted or not. I just wanted to put my foot in the door and make a name for myself,” he says. In part he succeeded: in his first season as a professional he played 20 games with Houston (11.2 points on average), in his second he played 54 games between Houston and Toronto, then a lot of G-League and a new opportunity last year in Brooklyn. “There are many things that influence the possibility of being a full time NBA. I made it for a while, but I wasn’t able to push the door open for good. But I am happy to be able to begin my European career and to be part of this organization now,” he explains.
At 26, being a late bloomer, he still has great room for improvement. “I think offensively, I need to learn to read and react to situations a little faster. I’m already good playing off the ball but maybe I can play the pick and roll a little more often. Defensively – he continues – I have to improve my awareness of situations away from the ball, not allow cuts from behind, pressing the ball when I defend a person who is dribbling, stay in front of him, don’t allow to get to certain angles”.
The contact with Olimpia came in June. After a discussion with Keith Langford, the decision to begin his European career materialize. “I’m not sure what to expect because I’ve never played here; so, now I’m mostly trying to read the situations. But I think this is a good group and if we can come together well, we can do great things. Hopefully, we can jell quickly and immediately compete at our best against the other teams and start racking up some wins. The coach didn’t ask me anything, although I’m sure he will. He just told me to be aggressive, to stay confident and play hard because the rest will take care of itself.”
