Philip Austin Brooks, a globally renowned basketball player, has won a $36,000 FIBA award against Al Khor Sports Club. The arbitration for breach of contract was settled by the Basketball Arbitral Tribunal (BAT). Mr. Brooks suffered a rupture in his Achilles tendon in 2014 while playing in the Qatari Basketball League for the Al Khor Sports Club. Following the sports injury, the Club ended his contract mid-way while refusing to pay for his recovery. They sent Mr. Brooks back home to the US where he underwent surgery at his own expense.
The road to recovery was tough, and the injury took several months to heal. Mr. Brooks decided to fight for his rights and approached the FIBA court in Geneva for justice. His brother Mr. Micah Brooks, a US-based attorney, represented him in the case and paid the initial fees for filing the arbitration with FIBA out of his pocket. The BAT ruling has ordered the Club to reimburse the judicial expenses incurred by Mr. Brooks. The ruling is considered a big victory for US athletes who travel overseas on international sports contracts.
The US-born African-American player was at the prime of his career at the time of the injury. He has spent 8 years as a professional basketball player, playing in various leagues in Germany, Spain, Columbia, Macedonia, Qatar, and Kosovo. He gained popularity for his performance at the Spanish League as an exceptional guard and small forward. He is a prized all-rounder, known for coordinating the team defense and an exceptional skill in carrying out sudden solo offensives. He was frequently awarded the “Most Valuable Player” for his contributions to the team score.
Even though the injury adversely impacted his career as a pro athlete, Mr. Brooks remains positive and considers it a silver lining. “It was a tough situation but it made me stronger in my career and life,” says Mr. Brooks, who is now working towards developing basketball in Africa. He sees a strong potential for professional basketball in the continent and hopes to play in Africa someday.
Mr. Brooks is a role model for students aspiring to make professional sports a career. He inspired many when he signed his first professional basketball contract right after graduating from Langston University in 2008. He strongly believes in the transformative power of sports to channel the youth’s energy away from drugs and gang violence. His own interest in basketball started from a young age. In an interview with Vanguard, he vividly remembers his first win in 1989 at the age of 5 at a YMCA Basketball game. He actively donates sporting gear and basketball kits to local schools in Texas to promote a sports culture.
Mr. Brooks retired from professional sports in 2017 to start a new chapter in life as an entrepreneur. He founded the Butterflies Learning Centers in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Makedonka Brooks. The daycare brand focuses on confidence-building by bridging several cultural gaps children face while growing up in the US. It has since expanded to three new locations, with several more in the pipeline.
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