Garrison Brooks, a former star of the University of North Carolina basketball team who is currently playing for the BC Wolves in the Lithuania Basketball League, has unfortunately had his inaugural professional season abroad cut short. The 24-year-old athlete, who had been contributing an average of 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as an essential substitute for the Wolves, sustained a fractured sacrum, resulting in his sidelining for the remainder of the season.
Following four successful seasons with the Tar Heels, Brooks elected to transfer to Mississippi State for an additional year of college basketball in light of the NCAA’s unprecedented decision not to count the 2020-2021 season against player eligibility. Subsequently, he entered the 2022 NBA Draft but went undrafted, spending the 2022-23 season in the NBA G League.
During his tenure with the UNC basketball team, Brooks reached a pinnacle in the 2019-20 season, during which he averaged 16.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while serving as a co-starter alongside Armando Bacot in the frontcourt. Throughout his career as a Tar Heel, the 6-foot-10, 240-pound forward from Alabama, initially a four-star recruit, maintained an average of 9.6 points and 6.0 rebounds, starting in 108 out of 133 games played.
This recent setback is undoubtedly disappointing for both Brooks and his supporters, but one can only hope for a prompt recovery and a triumphant return to the court in the near future. For the latest updates on other former Tar Heels and UNC basketball news, be sure to keep an eye on All Tar Heels on SI.