Dillon Brooks spoke a big game at Phoenix Suns' media day about cutting down on technical fouls for this coming season and then proceeded to get one five minutes into his first preseason game. A work in progress, you might say, for a player who has always run hot, until you realize his 13 fouls through preseason action so far are second in the entire NBA. Brace yourself for when the games really matter.
Booker can't change who he is at this stage of his career
Unfortunately for the 30-year-old, he will never truly shake his reputation, and that is only partly his fault. He would have to fundamentally change how he plays the game, and that is simply not going to happen. Head Coach Jordan Ott likely doesn't want it to either, as toeing the line and bringing that insane intensity is part of what makes Brooks who he is.
The part beyond his control is the reputation he now has with referees. Even if he did hold back on the court or jaw at officials a lot less, the fouls would still come his way. Getting to this point in the first place certainly is the fault of Brooks, but not being able to escape his past, no matter how he acts, is outside of his control.
Brooks also appears to bring a level of anger to opponents that you rarely see, no matter what he does, and that too is not going to change. John Collins getting into it with him, which led to that technical, came after both had been bumping off one another under the basket, and if anything, it was Collins who escalated it. Brooks can do nothing about that either.
Playing like a star to receive more friendly whistle could work in future
The former Houston Rocket has been the Suns' best player going back to their brief postseason experience last season, and that could help him with officials. If he is getting the calls that stars do while putting up 25 points a night and defending diligently on the other end, he will be at the mercy of the referees less.
Really, though, he has already proven during preseason action that he will never truly change who he is once he takes to the court. Those 13 fouls will multiply quickly, and the Suns can only hope it does not have a detrimental impact once the regular season begins. At times, it probably will. That is the full Dillon Brooks experience.
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