By John “Woods” Armwood III
Zoe Brooks Sh3GotGame Moment
The journey of star PG Zoe Brooks was far from easy, however she never let her conditions defy her from greatness. Although Brooks is ranked No.9 in the country and recently has been announced a McDonald’s All-American, she still has something to prove. Prior to her senior season, Brooks was ranked amongst the top 50 players in the country, yet this didn’t sit well with her. She understood her worth and utilized this as fuel going forward!
In the offseason, some believe Brooks made drastic changes to alter her game. However, she claims nothing has changed in her workouts. That said, she began being exposed to more camps and the hard work is beginning to pay off.
Here at “Sh3Gotgame” we often like to highlight our features as “pivotal moments” in their career. Surprisingly, Brooks's “Sh3GotGame Moment” came much earlier in her career and she never looks back since. That said, in the third grade, Brooks was competing with the boys. Naturally many would assume she’d struggle, however she excelled. In fact, regularly, she’d score 25 to 30 points a game while being the only female on the court.
Where Did it All Start for Zoe Brooks?
Although Brooks is as polarizing as some of our favorite athletes, she often accepts coaching. Brooks believes the relationship between any star player and their coach is vital. Therefore, a huge reason she was drawn to North Carolina State University (NC State) for basketball was HC Wes Moore.
Outside of the prestigious University, she truly loves how he connects with his players and allows them creative freedom within the construct of the offense. She appreciates being able to play freely while also having the opportunity to get her teammates good looks. Brooks compares Moore to her special bond with legendary girls varsity HC for Saint John Vianney Dawn Karpell.
“He [Wes Moore] allows his point guard to run the offense,” Brooks emphasized. “ Furthermore, he doesn’t attempt to limit his point guards, in fact he empowers them.”
Some consider Brooks a combo guard and at times a pure scorer of the basketball. However, she embraces her role as the true PG. She feels within her game and style of play that’s who she resembles. Therefore, coaches that view her in that light and trust she can run the offense while controlling the game often helps with her confidence as a player.
Dealing with Obstacles Presented
Brooks is from Plainfield, New Jersey, and grew up playing basketball with her brother, Jalen Brooks. Being that Jalen is five years older than her, she often credits a lot of her playings style and aggressiveness to him. Naturally, the size and strength difference forced her to have to be creative with the ball. In fact, she expressed that at a young age handling the ball came the most naturally to her.
“I think the first skill I was really good at was dribbling the ball,” Brooks expressed during her Sh3GotGame interview. “Jalen forced me to be creative with the ball in order to find open shots.”
Importance of Great Coaching
It’s safe to say, everyone battles through things internally and externally. That said, people deal with things very differently depending on the circumstances. Brooks admits when things get tough or difficult for her to manage by herself, she often prays for guidance. Some may not know Brooks is extremely religious and prays often. However, when prayer sometimes doesn’t give her the answers fast enough, she looks to her father's NBA editor and content manager, Maurice Brooks.
Brooks appears to be an extremely family-oriented individual, which explains why they often support one another so enthusiastically. Naturally, Brooks has other aspirations beyond the game of basketball and they not only support her basketball career but her life after the game as well. In her downtime, she enjoys editing and being on the computer.
After her basketball career is concluded, Brooks wishes to attempt coaching and giving back to the youth. She finds a ton of passion in teaching the game to others who may have not been given access to the knowledge. Brooks hopes being at NC State will only enhance her basketball knowledge and help her become the best person she can possibly be.
Changing the Narrative Forever
Ultimately, Brooks is beginning to control her narrative with her production and mindset. Going forward, she wishes that anyone following her journey understands to always be themselves and just let the work speak for itself.
“There are going to be people who won’t like you in all walks of life,” Brooks emphasized. “Nonetheless, you should never change who you are for anyone else. Most importantly, no matter what happens always let the work speak for itself.”