The Timeline of ‘The King’ and Dillon Brooks Rivalry

Dillon Brooks is known for making things heated during games. Take, for instance, when he tried to do it with James Harden and the Clippers. The way it gets heated between him and LeBron James is every single time both of them step on the court. A few days ago, both went at it again as the Lakers narrowly beat the Suns in a close game. The postgame talk focused more on the confrontation between LeBron and Brooks than on the game itself. So, how did these two first come to dislike each other so much on the court? Well, start from the beginning. 

The rivalry between LeBron and Brooks started well before it made headlines. In January 2021, during a Lakers vs. Grizzlies game, LeBron made a series of clutch shots over Brooks, ending with a playful 'too small’ gesture. At first, it seemed like harmless competitive banter, but it eventually led Brooks to target James as his primary opponent. This phase is the most well-known chapter of their feud. In April 2023, during the first round of the playoffs after a Game Two victory, Brooks called LeBron old and stated, “I poke bears. I don't respect anyone until they come and give me 40.”

Then came Game Three, Brooks was ejected for a flagrant two foul after hitting LeBron in the groin while he was bringing the ball up the court.  LeBron didn’t score 40 points in a single game against Brooks, but he had a historic 20-point and 20-rebound performance in Game Four. The Lakers defeated the Grizzlies in six games, including a 40-point blowout in the final game. Brooks refused to speak to the media after several losses, which resulted in a $25,000 fine.

Following Brooks' signing with the Houston Rockets in late 2023, the rivalry persisted. In November 2023, before their first game as Rockets, Brooks stated he was ready to lock him up. During the game, they exchanged constant jawing. In January 2024, in another game, Brooks struck LeBron in the head while going for a rebound, earning a flagrant one. LeBron later said the play was not a basketball play, but he largely ignored Brooks’ antics in interviews.

The rivalry heated up this month with Brooks playing for the Phoenix. In a crucial game, Brooks hit a clutch three-pointer to put the Suns ahead. Immediately afterward, he confronted LeBron and bumped chests. Brooks received his second technical foul and was ejected with 12 seconds remaining. The social media junkie comment. After the game, Brooks escalated the feud, calling LeBron a social media junkie and claiming LeBron gets upset because he spends too much time reading online comments. On camera, LeBron called Brooks soft and told him to chill the f*ck out after Brooks threw a ball toward him earlier in the game. Things still remain to be seen if this was the peak of the rivalry or if things will get even worse at their next meeting.