While Dillon Brooks was eliminated from the NBA Playoffs with the Phoenix Suns over two weeks ago, that hasn’t stopped him from attending games or sharing his thoughts about the league and its players.
The Suns star, who some label a villain, recently appeared at a Lakers game in Los Angeles, sitting in the front row next to the basket, which became a viral clip as LeBron shot free throws.
That’s led to the ongoing narrative that Brooks hates LeBron, or has a fierce feud with the NBA legend that prompts him to engage in various on- and off-court antics to antagonize him.
While Brooks maintains that the narrative is untrue, he followed up his courtside appearance at the Lakers’ elimination game by hanging out with popular streamer Ray, who queried him on various league-related topics.
Among the questions Ray brought to him was who has the better basketball legacy: Michael Jordan or LeBron James. It’s part of a greatest-of-all-time debate, with just about everyone weighing in or abstaining.
In part of the stream, Brooks didn’t hesitate to say he feels Michael Jordan is better than LeBron James, which prompted Ray to ask if that’s because he’s “playing LeBron right now” in the league.
“Yeah, I think [MJ] is just more efficient,” he explained. “He has more championships. He has more like clutch-game wins.”
“He only played like six or seven seasons less than LeBron,” Brooks said, also mentioning that MJ three-peated during his career, something LeBron has not done.
When asked who his G.O.A.T. player is, Brooks revealed that it’s the late, great Kobe Bryant, who won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in a decade.
MJ’s regular-season win-loss record was 706–366 across 15 seasons, and his record has no losses in the NBA Finals. LeBron has a 1,048–574 all-time regular-season record, and also has the league record for playoff wins at 183.
However, making the playoffs is about winning championships for players. While some will point to LeBron’s longevity in the league as impressive, he has four championships compared to MJ’s six. MJ won those in two separate three-peats with one team, the Chicago Bulls, rather than seeking out new opportunities to win more.
There’s still a level of respect Brooks has for LeBron as an all-time great, and he also admitted LeBron made him realize he had to up his game in the league.
They’ve had some on-court clashes in the past that definitely opened eyes to a potential heated rivalry, including the 2023 incident in which Brooks was ejected for striking LeBron in the groin during a Memphis Grizzlies vs. Lakers playoff game.
Brooks now seems content to be part of the Phoenix Suns, but not with where his status is as a player. He revealed to Ray that his major goal is to become an NBA All-Star in the 2027 season. He nearly made it onto the squad, but didn’t receive enough votes from fans or coaches to make it into the Western Conference lineup.
There may be an extra spot opening up next season should LeBron switch back to the Eastern Conference or decide to retire from the league.