Throughout his illustrious career, LeBron James has had his fair share of rivals and opponents that would try to get in his head and throw him off by talking trash or being physical.
Even though James has taken a backseat to Luka Doncic during the 2025-26 season, he still draws significant attention from opposing defenses because of his ability to score or play make. Against the Phoenix Suns, James saw Dillon Brooks most of the time and the two went back and forth at each other almost all evening.
James and Brooks have a long history of on-court dust ups and trading barbs in the media, and their recent matchup was no different as they had to be separated on multiple occasions. Brooks seemed to think that his trash talking agitated James in their previous matchup this season, though the latter had the last laugh as he knocked down the game-winning free throws to beat the Suns.
However, Brooks was up to his tricks again as he came out and accused James of being on social too much reading his comments, via Doug Haller of The Athletic:
“I guess he’s a social-media junkie,’’ Brooks said. “He be all over the socials, so he be seeing I guess what I’m saying. … Like I’ve (said) he thinks that people should think a way about him or not say nothing about him or play a certain way, and I’m not going to play that way. He gets in his moods or in his modes or whatever it is. I’m all for that.”
Brooks has never hidden attempts at trying to get a rise out of James and his recent criticism was surely meant to try and plant the seeds for another situation the next time the two play. To James’ credit, he has handled Brooks’ poking well as he downplays his comments publicly and focuses on the Lakers’ needs. In his career, James is 17-8 against Brooks, including the playoffs.
For players like Brooks, they thrive whenever their targets take the bait so it would be wise for James to continue playing it cool. It’s feels inevitable that something will happen again, but for the Lakers sake, they need James to remain even-keeled when it occurs.
LeBron James: ‘just competing’ with Dillon Brooks
James has never shied away from a challenge, so it’s no surprise that he hasn’t been rattled by Brooks. While Brooks might think James has something against him, the Lakers star simply chalked it up to merely competing against him.
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