How Suns' Dillon Brooks is more than just a LeBron hater

The casual NBA fan may just recognize Dillon Brooks' name for his frequent run-ins with LeBron James.

But Brooks is so much more than a LeBron hater. Really, his interactions with King James depict what makes Brooks a special piece of a team.

Simply put, Brooks doesn't back down from anyone.

As ESPN's Tim Bontemps put it in a new article on Friday: "Dillon Brooks is a culture setter."

"After an ugly exit from Memphis in 2023 raised questions about whether Brooks could be part of a contending core, the fiery forward immediately helped reset the culture for the young and rising Rockets," Bontemps writes. "Two seasons later, Brooks is doing the same for a Suns team nobody projected as a top-six seed in the West. And while Devin Booker and coach Jordan Ott deserve plenty of credit for that turnaround, team sources quickly pointed to Brooks' impact since arriving as part of the Kevin Durant trade."

MORE: LeBron James gives cryptic response to trade question

Brooks just celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday, and he's having one of his best NBA seasons.

The 6-foot-7 wing is putting up 20.5 points per game and also nabbing 1.1 steals per contest, his best mark in four years.

And like Bontemps mentions, Brooks has the Suns much higher up the standings than anyone anticipated.

Some guys just find ways to help teams win. Brooks, who never has any fear, is one of those guys for Phoenix.

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