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 Anthony Brooks, a senior communication arts major, enjoys talking about sports off the court almost as much as he does playing on the court.
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Union University senior Anthony Brooks has always stayed heads above the rest. At 6’10”, it hasn’t been a hard thing for this broadcasting major and Bethel Springs, Tenn., native to do. However, though he’s now a starting center for Union’s men’s basketball team, Brooks wasn’t always at the top in his game. In fact, he admits his ideal plan, until last year, would have been to work as a sports broadcaster on weekdays and a guitar-playing, stand-up comedian in his spare time.
“One of Anthony’s greatest strengths is that he’s such a diverse person who enjoys doing a lot of different things,” says Coach Ralph Turner. “That’s a great strength in life, but it can also be a major weakness in basketball.” Up until the summer of his junior year, Brooks didn’t really have his heart set on basketball. Though he’s been shooting hoops ever since he can remember (“I used to stand in the backyard and throw as hard as I could – for a while, it was a volleyball, because it was lighter”), Brooks didn’t even make the cut as a high school junior and never played much organized basketball until his senior year at Adamsville High School – but Turner saw something that Brooks didn’t. “I thought we had the steal of the century when we signed him,” says Turner. “He had the potential to be a three-time All-American, but he didn’t have the work ethic. He was 6-foot-10 but had never once been the leading scorer on his team.” That all changed when a “meeting of the minds” occurred with Turner. Brooks realized if he wanted to play starting center for his last Union season, he had better start showing some dedication, particularly during summer workouts. For the first time in his life, Brooks committed himself to a sport he had never taken very seriously, and after spending his entire summer in the gym, he added much-needed strength that has produced some amazing results. Named the TranSouth Conference Player of the Year, Brooks led the TranSouth and ranked third in the NAIA in scoring, averaging 24.7 points a game. Having set seven different school records this season, Brooks now is looking at the prospect of playing professional ball in Europe after graduation this May.
“The future for Anthony is unlimited,” says Turner. “I’ve spoken to many scouts about him – his stock will continue to rise based on how hard he wants to work.” “It’s always fun to play and be competitive, but I like to keep things laid back,” says Brooks, known for his endless joking and attempts to loosen up his teammates on the court. “I see basketball as a form of entertainment…and I like to entertain.” Steve Beverly, assistant professor of communication arts, would agree. “Anthony has the energy and personality that very much reflects the skills of somebody that can be an on-air personality and an emcee,” says Beverly. He adds that Anthony is a favorite among classmates and a guy “you just like to be around.” Beverly also believes Brooks could be as big a success in sports broadcasting as basketball, pointing to an opportunity Brooks had last year during the off-season to call football games for a local high school. “He does quite well breaking down the game so that the average person at home can understand what’s going on,” explains Beverly. “Anthony has a tremendous future, whether he wants to go into news or sports. This guy has the kind of communication skills and tremendous potential that will take him as far as he wants to go.” And how far will that be? Only Anthony Brooks can say.
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