‘Could I stop Lionel Messi?’ – Bold shout from NBA ‘villain’ Dillon Brooks as he compares marking Inter Miami superstar to dealing with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The outspoken Canadian, who revels in his persona as a bad guy on the court, has made quite the name for himself trying to contain the many talents on show in NBA circles. He is a commanding presence, at 6ft 6in tall, and has never been afraid to throw his weight around.

If he were to trade ball games, then Brooks would likely be a no-nonsense defender or midfield enforcer. Filling such a role would place him into direct competition with creative playmakers and goal-scoring forwards, with there no chance that he would back down from a challenge.

Brooks has even claimed that he would happily have a go at trying to halt the many charges of all-time great Messi, who is now plying his trade in the United States with MLS side Inter Miami. Brooks has told Mundo Deportivo: “Could I stop Messi if I played soccer? Probably if I had been playing all my life I could. It's just determination. In the end, you have to use your team-mates for special guys like Messi or Antetokounmpo, you need your team to defend them.”

Milwaukee Bucks talisman Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the biggest stars in NBA and always takes some stopping. Messi remains one of the best in the business when it comes to football, as the current holder of Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best awards, and will be thrilling audiences in the States again shortly when the 2024 MLS season gets underway.