For UMass Lowell Men's Basketball Head Coach Pat Duquette, "it was all upside."
 
Max Brooks (Waldorf, Md.) possessed the tools to be a dominant collegiate basketball player. Headlined by a potent shot-blocking and rim-protection ability, Duquette also saw glimpses of a potential offensive toolbox to flourish at the next level.
 
Duquette's Division I scholarship offer to Brooks was one of only two he would receive.
 
"He was a little undersized for the position that he played, but you could see where he could go and who he could become," said Duquette.
Nearly five years later, Duquette's intuition – and Brooks' trajectory – have paid dividends. Not only has the fifth-year standout solidified himself as one of the America East's most dominant competitors, he has engrained himself in the UMass Lowell history books.
 
He is a leader in multiple national categories, and on and off the court for the River Hawks' 2024-25 squad. He is everything Duquette projected him to be and more.
 
Brooks, a five-year stalwart, has amassed over 1,300 points, 785 rebounds and 265 blocks in his storied career. Earlier this season, he became the program's all-time blocks leader, surpassing a record that stood for 35 years. 
 
"The coaches told me they believed in me and they believed in my work ethic. It gave me a lot of confidence at the end of the day and it helped me grow tremendously," Brooks said of receiving an offer to play at UMass Lowell.
 
And the three-time America East All-Defensive Team selection is enjoying his most impactful college campaign yet. Brooks is currently positioned second in the nation for both field goal percentage and blocks.
 
"Anytime you get on the court, you want to be that person to help lead your team to victory," said Brooks. "You want to be the reason why you're winning. You don't want to help your team lose, you want to be out there producing. Anytime I get out there, I want to produce the best I can, and if the best I can is scoring, blocking, or getting rebounds, I'm going to do it to my best ability."
 
Duquette and his assistants over the years were ultimately the reason Brooks came to the Mill City and chose to stay amid a college landscape that has become flooded with NIL opportunities and a fluid transfer portal.
 
"He is a great guy and one of the best guys you could ever meet," Brooks said of Duquette. "Having a relationship with him and having a relationship with all the coaches I have had, I value those relationships over anything money could buy."
 
"It says a lot," Duquette added. "It says that he's committed. He likes it here and he isn't satisfied, he wants to win a championship. He recognizes the good things he has here and is grateful for them. He's not always looking for something better because he knows he's got a great situation here."
 
Brooks' shot-blocking talent kickstarted his long and successful tenure in Lowell. As a sophomore in 2021-22, his set a career high and led the America East with 68 blocks and is now ranked third in the nation for total blocks among active career leaders. 
 
"He's got really good timing, and what he's developed over time that's made him better is discipline. When to jump, when not to jump, to wait and pick your spots," Duquette explained. "That's where I think he's gotten better and that's made him an even more elite shot blocker."
 
Reaching the all-time record was inevitable. His eight-block showing in a December 11 win against LIU brought him to 248 and etched his name into the record books.
 
"To get it is crazy," Brooks said of the record. "It's an honor."
 
But Brooks has widened his skill set throughout his career, also blossoming into a key cog on the offensive end of the floor.
 
While Brooks began to increase his shot volume, so did his efficiency. He led the America East in field goal percentage (63.1%) as a sophomore to go along with his 10.7 points per game. This season, not only is Brooks averaging a personal-best 15.0 points per game, but his field goal percentage has skyrocketed to a league-high 73.2%.
 
"It's my teammates," said Brooks. "(Coach) has been running the same offense for a while now, so I've been running the same offense and doing the same things. It's my teammates seeing me more and believing in me more. They know I make those shots, and I work on those shots."
 
Earlier this season, Brooks went a perfect, 12-for-12 from the floor against Dartmouth on Dec. 14, matching the NCAA Division I record this season and marking the best performance by any player nationwide since the 2021-22 season.
 
"He doesn't take bad shots," Duquette added. "He knows exactly where on the floor he needs to be, and he gets to those spots."
 
Above all, he does so in a way that makes his team better. His energy is contagious.
 
"What stands out most to me about Max is his energy and his positive attitude," commented Duquette. "Those aren't necessarily skills that you think of, but they've helped him grow, mature and earn the respect of the coaches and the players, and get better."
 
Brooks' accolades speak for themselves; the only piece left to accomplish to put the finishing touches on his career is a conference championship and a ticket to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The big man has plenty of experience on that stage, as he's played in three America East title games thus far.
 
"If not this year, then when," concluded Brooks. "This is the best year for us, and we have a whole bunch of guys who have been here and know what it takes."
 
Regardless, though, of what unfolds during the remainder of this season, Duquette knows one thing is for certain. Electing to recruit Brooks is one of the best coaching decisions he's ever made.
 
"I couldn't be happier. I'm grateful to have him for five years," the coach said. "I love him as a kid and as a player. He's had as big of an impact on our program as any player that's come through here."
 

Related Videos

Now Playing:

• Play Video