You don’t get a nickname like “The Villain” without ruffling a few feathers.
Well, in his first season in a Phoenix Suns uniform, Dillon Brooks has continued to lean into his nickname. He’s embraced the Pacific Division rivalry against the Los Angeles Lakers, and, more specifically, the legendary LeBron James.
The feud is well documented at this point, with Brooks saying in December 2025, “He (LeBron James) likes people that bow down. I don’t bow down.”
The “King James” label is lost on Brooks, who isn’t shying away from competing against arguably the greatest player the league has ever witnessed.
He kept the rivalry stewing with his latest comments.
‘He’s old.’ Dillon Brooks keeps LeBron James trash talk going on stream
Speaking on a stream with Agent — a Canadian-American YouTuber and streamer known for gaming content including the NBA 2K franchise — Brooks showed respect for prime LeBron, but noted that James’ being on the wrong side of 40 years old makes him feel more human.
“If it was LeBron five years ago, then it’d be different,” Brooks said. “Miami Bron, you’re not really talking (expletive) to him.”
Brooks added that LeBron during his Miami Heat days was more agile and had more to his game. If you talk smack to that version of LeBron, he’s going to blow by you for a dunk.
But now?
“He’s old,” Brooks said.
No lies detected, as the former No. 1 overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft celebrated his 41st birthday in December. It’s remarkable that James is still playing in the NBA at all at that age, much less while continuing to average 22.5 points, 6.9 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game while making more than half of his field goal attempts (50.8%).
Father Time is no doubt catching up to James, but he’s making slow progress as LeBron continues to fill the box score on the wrong side of 40.
James’ defense is certainly on the decline with the Lakers struggling to prevent points, but it’s impossible to ignore the impact he still has at age 41.
Just don’t expect Brooks to back down from the living legend.
Brooks went on to say you can “press up in him” and cut off James before he gets to his spots. He’s been around more than long enough for opposing defenses to learn his tendencies, and Brooks seems to have keyed in on those to (at least in his mind) gain an advantage.
“So, you can always chirp a little bit,” Brooks said.
That edge and attitude is a big reason for the Suns’ 2025-26 turnaround. With Brooks in tow, the team has collectively adopted his hustle and grit just like fans saw in Memphis and Houston before his arrival in The Valley.
Brooks’ mouth can often get him in trouble on the court, primarily with the officials, but it’s hard to fault the fire and intensity he plays with on a nightly basis.