Dillon Brooks Says Coach K Lectured Him for Shooting Three at End of Game

The Oregon Ducks beat the Duke Blue Devils 82-68 last night to advance to the Elite Eight of this year's NCAA Tournament. Many at Duke, including Grayson Allen and Mike Krzyzewski would have preferred the score to be 79-68, however. At the end of the game, with the shot clock set to expire with about a seven-second differential with the game clock, Dillon Brooks threw up a three that went in. Duke had called off the dogs and were just playing the clock out and, sure, Brooks could have just left the ball to the refs instead of shooting it, but he didn't. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but Brooks subsequently had a weird interaction with Grayson Allen—not necessarily a pillar of sportsmanship, himself—who seemed to shrug off Brooks's attempt at a hug.

It was a nothing moment, just a dude who was probably bummed to be going home and didn't quite feel like hugging the guy who just beat him. Maybe the late three was salt in the wound, but getting thumped in a Sweet 16 game is a pretty salty wound as is. But then Coach K got in on the act and appeared to scold Brooks in the handshake line. It's tough to see what Krzyzewski said, but Brooks can definitely be seen saying "I'm sorry…my bad" at one point.

After the game he elaborated on the interaction.

Dillon Brooks said Coach K told him in handshake line, "I'm too good of a player to be showing off at the end." Brooks: "He's right."
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) March 25, 2016

More Brooks: "I have to respect Duke and got to respect them. I have to learn from those things."
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) March 25, 2016

Brooks final quote on Coach K: "At the same time, that's my fire, that's my passion. I'm going to take in what he said and keep doing me."
— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) March 25, 2016

Alright, so that's…whatever. It's a little strange for another coach to go telling some other school's player how he should or shouldn't behave, but Coach K is Coach K and he'll do shit like that. Players probably respect the hell out of him, too, because he's a legendary coach. You can see Brooks is genuinely apologetic about the whole thing. Coach K being Coach K, though, he didn't own up to chiding Brooks.

Coach K, on what he said to Brooks: "I just congratulated him."
— Austin Meek (@austinmeekRG) March 25, 2016

Someone pressed K specifically on whether he said something to Brooks about celebrating. "I didn't say that."
— Austin Meek (@austinmeekRG) March 25, 2016

Look, I don't know why Dillon Brooks would make up a story like that, and in the process concede that the scolding opposing coach was correct, but all this really means is that Duke and Coach K are extra salty about the loss and that's really the important thing.

[TBS]