'Chinese players are getting a lot better,' says CBA’s Brooks

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07:42

The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) Finals will continue tomorrow with Guangdong leading the Xinjiang Flying Tigers two games to none. That means the Southern Tigers are halfway toward a ninth league title, and one of the key contributors has been American forward MarShon Brooks, who told CGTN Sports Scene's Damion Jones his main goal is to win a championship, in this season's final episode of CBA Stories.

The American, who returned to China from the NBA with the goal of winning a league title, said on his team's progress towards the title: “We just gotta continue to stay focused, and focus on every single game, every detail... There's a lot of talent in this league, and we just gotta make sure we focus on every detail and play hard every night.”

While talking about him being drafted in the NBA in 2011, the Guangdong forward mentioned, “It was a great feeling. My family was there. I worked hard and was just trying to get to that level so it was a wonderful feeling to get there on that day, it's the day that changed my life.”

Brooks, however, struggled to establish himself in NBA due to an erratic playing schedule.

Marshall Brooks from Guangdong shoots a layup against Xinjiang at 2018/19 CBA Finals G2 on April 28. /VCG Photo

"Being a young guy, when I first came into the NBA, I had the opportunity to just go out and play and play mistake free. But when they got Joe Johnson in my position, so it was tough. My minutes were reduced."

The 30-year-old spent the 2014-15 season in Italy before starting a foray into China and helped Southern Tigers oust his former team 2-0 in quarter-finals.

Leading the Dragons back to the CBA Playoffs and ending six years of futility prompted NBA scouts to increase their interest in Brooks again, and last spring he found himself suiting up with Memphis. But he has now spent four seasons in the CBA.

"China has changed me. When I first came here I didn't think much about scoring or anything. When you score your team is happy and you have to keep them happy because the Chinese players are getting a lot better. In my past four years in the CBA, I can say the games have become tougher. I think it's a step in the right direction," Brooks said.