Dillon the Villain is at it again.
Dillon Brooks — the Rexdale, Ont., native who has earned the “Dillon the Villain” moniker thanks to his feistiness — has beefed with James for years, dating back to his time with the Memphis Grizzlies.
“(LeBron) likes people that bow down. I don’t bow down. That either entices him or it aggravates him,” Brooks said after his Suns completed a 125-108 victory over the Lakers.
Brooks finished with a game-high 33 points while James was limited to just 10 points in 31 minutes and failed to record a rebound.
The players’ rivalry peaked during a first-round series in 2023, when Brooks challenged James ahead of the playoff round before they went back-and-forth with barbs and staredowns throughout the six-game tilt.
After saying “I poke bears,” Brooks was ejected in Game 3 for a flagrant foul against James, and his Grizzlies — despite being the No. 2 seed — were eventually eliminated by the Lakers, with Brooks bearing the brunt of blame from fans and management.
He then spent two seasons with the Houston Rockets before being dealt to the Suns — who occupy the same Pacific Division as LeBron’s Lakers — in July as part of the seven-team trade that sent Kevin Durant to Texas.
