Dillon Brooks has clearly embraced his role as the NBA’s supervillain.
On Monday, a day after battling against LeBron James during the Rockets’ 105–104 loss to the Lakers, Brooks took his antics to a new level when he changed his name on Instagram to “Villain.”
Brooks’s persona was on full display when officials assessed James with a technical foul for pushing the Rockets forward with his forearm during the second quarter of Sunday’s matchup. After James laughed at the officials for the technical foul, Brooks carried a smirk on his face as he jogged down the court inside Crypto.com Arena.
Sunday’s exchange with Brooks and James was nothing new. The back-and-forth chatter and stunts were well-documented in last year’s NBA playoffs. Beyond Brooks’s feuding with James, he has also encountered issues with the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, Clippers’ Russell Westbrook, Mavericks’ Kyrie Irving, and Warriors’ Draymond Green.
Dillon Brooks changed his IG name 👀 pic.twitter.com/xf00BdKUS9
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 20, 2023
Brooks led Houston (6–5) in scoring on Sunday, finishing with 24 points in the loss. Through 11 games this season, Brooks is averaging 13.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 51.4% from the floor.
