LAS VEGAS — You might think Dillon Brooks is at times out of control and reckless when he’s on the basketball court, something diehard Valley basketball fans will remember about him dating back to his collegiate days for Oregon in the Pac-12.
Maybe that is up for debate, but the newest Phoenix Sun knows exactly what he’s doing out there, at least when it comes to the affect it has on his own team.
Brooks was a part of the return for Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade, and when it comes to the attributes he provides, there has been no greater match added for what the Suns have been looking for (and lacked last season) than him.
“No [expletive],” he said Friday of what he brings. “I don’t back down from anybody or anything. Everybody, to me, is the same. I can’t wait to get a technical foul at PHX (Arena) and for them to go crazy. I can’t wait to bring my toughness and my grit all-around and I hope it’s contagious for the team.”
For the uninitiated, the tallest heights this reached was one of the most entertaining playoff subplots of the last five years. In the 2023 first round, all of his antics directly targeted, of all people, LeBron James.
Brooks after Game 2 of that series called James “old” while adding he “pokes bears” and doesn’t respect anyone till they score 40 points on him.
This carried over to the court, where the bear got a bit loud and it didn’t go too well for Brooks and his Memphis Grizzlies. James, not one for too much chatter, made sure to yap at Brooks whenever he could the rest of the way. Brooks was booed immensely by Lakers fans and there was an undeniable, captivating amount of extra energy coming from a clearly-taking-this-personally James.
But the point is not that it backfired, it’s that Brooks means it. When it comes to his bravado, he will do the walking of the walk after talking the talk to anyone, and you could not exaggerate enough how badly the Suns need that.
His nickname, Dillon The Villain, is one of the most underrated to come around in this generation.
“I like to hit, bang, tussle,” Brooks said, showing his vernacular knowledge for what he does. “I feel like having me on the team is gonna bring more confidence to the young guys, bring more back to the city.”
And Brooks has been here before.
How Dillon Brooks became a culture builder
The original rise of the Grizzlies in this Ja Morant era was the back-half of Brooks’ first six years in the league. Memphis moved on from him and the Houston Rockets wanted a guy to set the culture and identity, something Brooks was successful at doing through two seasons.
Brooks said “it starts from the beginning” when it comes to building up a program, referencing the importance of the relationship with the coach, defensive principles and the main goals on the court for the team’s style of play.
At 29 years old, Brooks has become a refined version of the eclectic player he made a living off being. His often questionable shot selection and over-the-top confidence as an offensive player in Memphis took more of a back seat in Houston as a better complementary player, to wit he shot a career-high 39.7% from 3-point range on a career-high 6.3 attempts per game last season.
He might not be the defensive player he once was — certainly still effective on that end but no longer in the All-Defense type of consideration — but that will still bring a world of difference. Think of Jae Crowder’s outstanding communication and technical proficiency with being in the right spot every, single, time. All with a whole lot of edge.
Brooks brings that and an embracing of that situation he’s now in.
“I love the challenge. … I love Phoenix,” Brooks said. “I’ve been over in the summers. I love when I play there, the gym’s amazing, the people are great — can’t wait to connect with the fans and bring that toughness, bring that urgency and be ready for the journey.”