Aaron Brooks (basketball)
A lightning-quick guard who defied his size, he erupted for a season of stunning scoring before becoming a quintessential NBA journeyman.
Born 1985 (age 41)·American basketball player·Birthday: January 14·Millennials
Biography
At a listed six feet tall, Aaron Brooks played with a perpetual chip on his shoulder and a turbo button that seemed permanently engaged. Drafted by the Houston Rockets after a stellar career at Oregon, he initially found his niche as a sparkplug off the bench. Then, in the 2009-10 season, with Yao Ming injured, Brooks was handed the keys to the offense and exploded. He led the entire NBA in three-pointers made, averaged a career-high 19.6 points per game, and danced around defenders with impish speed, earning the league's Most Improved Player award. His peak was brilliant but brief; traded the following season, he embarked on a winding path across the league, playing for seven more teams. Brooks became the definition of a reliable veteran reserve—a microwave scorer who could change a game's pace in a five-minute burst. His career arc is a classic NBA tale: a moment of undeniable stardom, followed by a long, valued career doing the hard work of a professional.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Aaron was born in 1985, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1985
#1 Movie
Back to the Future
Best Picture
Out of Africa
#1 TV Show
Dynasty
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1985Born
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1990Started school
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1998Became a teenager
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Could drive
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2003Could vote
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Turned 21
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2015Turned 30
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 40
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 41 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the NBA Most Improved Player Award for the 2009–10 season with the Houston Rockets.
- Led the NBA in total three-point field goals made (209) during the 2009–10 season.
- Averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 assists per game as a full-time starter in his award-winning season.
- Played in 45 NBA playoff games, including a run to the Western Conference Finals with Houston in 2009.
Did You Know?
He was a high school teammate and close friend of fellow NBA guard Nate Robinson.
He led the University of Oregon to an NCAA Elite Eight appearance in 2007.
During the 2011 NBA lockout, he played for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association.
He wore jersey number 0 for much of his career.
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