One of the most important storylines for the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks will be whether they get starting center Brook Lopez back. He has only appeared in one game for the team this regular season, which was their opening contest against the Brooklyn Nets. The 13 year NBA veteran has missed several months with a back injury, and it is unclear if or when he can contribute down the stretch. Even if he does return, he may not be able to provide the level of play he’s put forth in the last couple of years. Regardless, the former lottery pick has had a fascinating NBA career, and we’ll examine how he got to this point.
Brook Lopez – Childhood
Brook Robert Lopez was born in North Hollywood, California on April 1, 1988. As many NBA fans already know, Brook’s brother, Robin Lopez, also came into the world on that day. Their mother, Deborah Ledford, was a single mother who worked hard to raise the Lopez twins and their two other brothers. She was a competitive swimmer in the 1960s and was invited to try out for the women’s U.S. Olympic team in 1968.
While the Lopez brothers grew quickly as adolescents, they were raised to be well-rounded people in order to complement their athletic pursuits. Drawing, writing, and reading were hobbies for them, as well as building toy structures with their LEGO collection.
Brook and Robin grew up playing basketball in their driveway with their two older brothers. They have fond memories of those games and recalled the level of support each brother had for one another.
Brook Lopez – High School
Not surprisingly, Brook and Robin stood out from the rest of the competition during their high school days. They played for the San Joaquin Memorial Panthers, along with future NBA player and future Pac-10 rival Quincy Pondexter. The fundamentally sound pair would play an unstoppable high-low game that left opponents shaking their heads. Their sheer size was problematic enough, but they played so well together that it was difficult to faze them.
Both brothers could have racked up gaudy statistics had they played separately in high school, but they were all about the team first. As a junior, Brook averaged 15 points per game, over ten rebounds per game, and over two blocks per game. The numbers in those categories actually decreased a little as a senior, but there was no questioning Lopez’s touch, footwork, and skill in the low post.
Brook Lopez – College
From the time Lopez was a young boy growing up in Southern California, there wasn’t very much doubt as to where he would play his college basketball. Despite growing up in the backyard of potential options like UCLA and USC, Brook had his sights set on Stanford University in Northern California. He had family ties to the school, as his mother was a Cardinal alumnus from the early 1970s.
He was already extremely familiar with the campus and spent a lot of time in the school bookstore. When it came time to make a commitment, both brothers chose Stanford and fulfilled a lifelong dream.
It didn’t take long for the new twin towers of the west coast to make their impact. In his freshman year, Brook averaged 12 points per game and six rebounds per game, while Robin was controlling the paint with his defense and physical presence. Stanford made the NCAA Tournament but fell in the first round to Louisville.
In his sophomore season, it all came together for Brook and Stanford. He was named to the All-Pac 10 first team, and put up nearly 20 points a game, with eight rebounds and over two blocks per contest. He was also named as one of the best players in the conference tournament. The Cardinal seemed poised to make a deep postseason run in the NCAA tournament on CBS Sports. Stanford made it to the Sweet 16, but ended up losing to the University of Texas, led by future NBA point guard D.J Augustin.
Brook Lopez – New Jersey Nets and Brooklyn Nets
Brook certainly could have stayed at Stanford for two more years, played with his brother, and perhaps elevated the team to national title contender status. However, Brook’s draft stock was already pretty high, and he felt ready to take the leap to the next level. It was unfortunate that Brook and Robin would no longer share a frontcourt, but they did announce together that they were entering the 2008 NBA Draft.
Having been synonymous with the west coast his entire life, Brook’s life was about to change drastically. He was selected with the 10th overall pick by the New Jersey Nets, who were an NBA team looking to retool their roster after a successful run with Jason Kidd.
While some rookies are notorious for taking a long time to develop into a viable NBA option, Lopez was pretty good in his rookie season right from the jump. His NBA debut came against the Washington Wizards, where he played over 25 minutes and put up a respectable line. His scoring really started to become a factor in the middle of that year, punctuated by a 31 point, 13 rebound gem against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Nets made a concerted effort to tear down their team and embrace a rebuild, which Lopez became the centerpiece of. In Lopez’s second and third years, New Jersey won 12 games and 24 games respectively in the regular season. Even though the team wasn’t winning, Lopez did not miss one game in that stretch and became one of the more reliable low post scorers in the NBA. Doing almost all of his damage 15 feet and in, he averaged close to 20 points per game on a team that did not have many other established options.
Brook Lopez – Los Angeles Lakers
From a team success standpoint, Lopez’s time with the Nets would improve. They ended up moving to Brooklyn after his fourth season, and the roster improved as players like Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett were brought in. They made the playoffs in three straight seasons, even making the second round one year. However, in 2015-2016, the core of their team was past its prime, and Lopez was left to be the centerpiece of a struggling product on the floor.
On draft night in 2017, Lopez was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Timofey Mozgov and D’Angelo Russell. This put a wrap on his nine seasons with the Nets franchise.
It set the stage for his only season with his hometown team, which did not lead to much team success. However, a change in his style of play was doubly confirmed that year. In his final season with the Nets, Lopez averaged over five three-point attempts per game, and in Los Angeles, that number remained over four. It was a stark contrast to the player who first came into the league, and did all of his damage near the basket.
Brook Lopez – Milwaukee Bucks
After his short Lakers stint, he signed with the Milwaukee Bucks as a free agent. It would turn out to be perhaps the smartest move Lopez ever made. Having developed into a floor stretcher as a center was just what the franchise needed. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s strength was primarily focused on getting into the paint, which freed up shooters like Lopez and Khris Middleton for wide-open looks. It was the way the NBA game was being played by most teams in the league.
With less defensive attention and pressure focused on him, Lopez has flourished in Milwaukee. His shooting from the free-throw line in Milwaukee has been better than at any point in his career, and he became an integral part of a championship team. He was even named to the all-defensive team during the 2019-2020 NBA season, proving that he’s getting it done on both ends of the floor.
Brook Lopez – NBA Future
It might not be an overstatement to say that Lopez’s NBA career might be hanging in the balance in the next few months. Back issues are usually not easy to come back from, and it remains to be seen whether Lopez can provide the type of well-rounded play he did on the Bucks’ championship run last year. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that Lopez has recently been cleared to practice, which is a positive development. His health will be the primary dictator of whether Lopez can continue as a versatile and useful NBA player.
