LeBron James vs. Dillon Brooks: A brief history of…

LeBron James vs. Dillon Brooks: A brief history of beef, including a groin hit

In the grand tradition of Lance Stephenson (the ear blower) and Draymond Green (the groin hitter) comes Dillon Brooks, the bear poker.

Brooks, as you may know, is known for his dirty play, at his taunts on the court and then a lot more that off of it.

He’s gotten into it with Green, too, but let’s focus on what he’s done with LeBron James in the few years they’ve played each other, especially now that they’re going head to head in the NBA playoffs, and now that Brooks has called the legendary Los Angeles Lakers star “old.”

Here’s their history:

2021: Did it start with a "too small"?

There was speculation that Bron pulled the “too small” from a moment earlier in this 2021 contest:

LeBron doesn't forget 😂pic.twitter.com/tZfKNxOftp

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 6, 2021

January 2023: "He doesn't want to go left"

Is this true?

Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks on Lakers’ LeBron James: “He doesn’t want to go left. I was just making him go left all game. He would settle or he would pass the ball.” pic.twitter.com/nBJ9p3OslK

— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) January 21, 2023

April 2023: Brooks says he "wouldn't mind" playing LeBron

Dillon Brooks: “I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron in a 7-game series.”

Why?

“The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away in the first round. It’ll test us good. They got good pieces, good players, and that’ll be a good 1st round matchup for us.”

— Mark Giannotto (@mgiannotto) April 11, 2023

Let the bear-poking commence.

Game 1, 2023: The evesdrop

LeBron James trying to listen into Dillon Brooks and Taylor Jenkins' conversation 👂pic.twitter.com/vWirp3sxy3

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 16, 2023

Stirring the pot I see, LeBron!

Game 2, 2023: The back and forth

There was the staredown:

dillon brooks makes his first three of the night halfway through the 4th after shooting 3/11 from the field and stares down lebron james😭😭😭 this man truly does not care pic.twitter.com/5aCqRkMKA2

— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) April 20, 2023

And then, people thought James called him a “bum”:

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks exchanged words 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/cyox1hI5kc

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 20, 2023

Post-Game 2, 2023: "He's old"

Classic Dillon Brooks on his confrontation with LeBron James: “I don’t care. He’s old. … I poke bears. I don’t respect someone until he gives me 40.”

And Brooks had plenty more to say. pic.twitter.com/uWLONrubPZ

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 20, 2023