Dillon Brooks sensationally rules out clear favorite in "Villain Jr" mystery

The Phoenix Suns have looked like they're enjoying themselves during preseason play so far, and much of that has had to do with the introduction of Dillon Brooks to The Valley. Whereas the vibes in Phoenix during the Kevin Durant era weren't always great - at least to the outside world - it has been different from the jump with Brooks.

Although the 29-year-old might not quite fit the rebuilding timeline the Suns have now put themselves on, there's no doubt he's a guy who wants to win games and who is going to help change the culture around the group. Already you can see how everybody from Grayson Allen - who is giving head coach Jordan Ott a headache - to Khaman Maluach have enjoyed having him around.

Brooks rules out Ryan Dunn as the "Villain Jr" in Phoenix.

A fun subplot developed once training camp began for the group, with Brooks claiming that there was a "Villain Jr" on the roster. What he meant by that was because he himself has often been viewed by opposing fans as a villain who is easy to root against - but who you love having on your team - Brooks believed he had a young sidekick in that department, but would not reveal who it was.

As you can see from the video above, the former Houston Rocket has now officially ruled Ryan Dunn out of the race. This is a surprise - he was the most popular selection by fans when trying to guess the mystery player - while his profile also looked like the best fit. A second year pro who excels on the defensive end, Dunn enjoys attempting to lock up elite scorers.

Even though Dunn isn't the guy, there is no doubt he is going to learn a ton about the dark arts of the game from Brooks. Perhaps in time he can also join the villain family - but for now at least - he hasn't converted all the way over to the dark side. Which begs the question, who then has Brooks earmarked as his protege?

The next most obvious selection - and he is somebody who has improved his standing with the Suns during preseason play alone - is backup point guard Collin Gillespie. We can all see he's got that dog in him, and that the hard nosed style of play from last season when he was on a two-way deal and fighting for his professional life was no fluke.

Whenever he is on the court, the intensity for he group rises. Gillespie also doesn't let his smaller stature relative to some of the guys he's guarding hold him back, which is perhaps the biggest clue yet that he is the true "Villain Jr". Their identity will remain hidden, but the fact we're even talking about this at all shows the culture shift is already well underway in The Valley. It was badly needed.