Dare Brazeal establishing himself as the Lone Star in Texas

Brazeal is top scorer in the Ft> Worth Draft League

Whatever you want to call him (Deadpool, Killa, Bad Mutha), there's a problem brewing in the Fort Worth Ultimate Hoops league, and that dilemma comes in the form of a 6'5, 220 lb. force of nature known as Dare Brazeal.

Since the Fort Worth club opened in 2018, Brazeal has been a fixture in almost every UH league played and has made his mark as one of the best creators and two-way players the gym has had to offer.

Brazeal's complete dominance offensively and defensively over the last several seasons has officially put everyone on notice. He has taken the crown as the league's best player, and as we're seeing in the 2022 Winter Draft League season, he's not giving it up anytime soon.

Certified by his three-straight league MVP performances, Brazeal has shown the type of evolution that most of us fellow players sit back and watch in awe.

This week he won his third consecutive Player of the Week Award for the Ft. Worth Draft League, and quite honestly, you could make the case he's worthy of winning it every week until proven otherwise. He was a league leader in PPR at 34.7 and the number one spot scoring at 25.6 PPG.

His ability to drive at will and find open shooters can carve up a defensive game plan within minutes, and because he's added a consistent three-point stroke to his arsenal as well, he can pick you apart from inside or out. For me, though, it's his passing ability that makes him such a unique and special player because as good of a finisher as he is around the rim, he's even more difficult to defend when he's looking for his shooters off the drive-and-kick.

It's quite frankly a thing of beauty to watch, especially when you're on the receiving end of some of those passes. Even more impressive, though, is that all of Brazeal's productivity on the offensive end comes with the additional defensive responsibility of guarding the other team's best player each week. Whether that's a 6'8, 280 lb. center or a lightning-quick point guard, it doesn't matter to him: he wants all the smoke!

What's an even more compelling argument for Brazeal's claim to the throne is the amount of team success he's had over the last year, having won three-consecutive Draft League championships beginning with a title in the Spring of 2021. Finally, I'll make the argument that picking a team from a pool of players, some of which you may never have even seen dribble a ball, can be a little daunting.

However, this hasn't stopped Dare from building a dynasty around him. He's got a few familiar faces that somehow always wind up on his teams, but even as one of the league's youngest players, he's already learned how to be shrewd in the draft room in getting the pieces that fit his style of play.

When you're as talented as Brazeal, it may seem like a straightforward strategy to throw a bunch of guys on the court and let him take over, but that's not the way Dare plays the game.

He's one of the most unselfish and low-key leaders you'll find on the court, knowing just the right mix and timing of when to take over. That's incredible leadership from someone that's only a few years removed from college, and even more impressive that he does so while playing with some veterans that have been hooping since he was in diapers.

However, that's the respect and reverence you earn from other players in the league when you dominate in all facets of the game.

As stated before: the crown as the league's best player and winner in Fort Worth Ultimate Hoops sits with Dare.

The problem for the rest of the league is that he doesn't appear to be slowing down at all; it's quite the opposite: he might just be getting better!