Dillon Brooks Embraces Physicality and Identity with Suns
Dillon Brooks isn’t reinventing himself with the Suns. He’s doubling down on the physical, unapologetic identity that has shaped his NBA journey — and he’s not interested in softening it for anyone.
Dillon Brooks brings his trademark physicality and intensity to the Phoenix Suns. Courtesy of Memphis Grizzlies YouTube Channel
Dillon Brooks has never really tried to soften his edges. In a league that appreciates polish, he has leaned on being unapologetic about being himself – the guy who speaks loudly, hits first, and doesn’t blink when the spotlight turns unforgiving. Brooks is not making any changes with the Phoenix Suns. In any case, he’s doubling down.
Brooks made it clear during a recent discussion with R.org that his identity as a player is not accidental or a brand strategy. It’s simply who he is.
“I’m just trying to bring a little physicality, you know,” he said, casually laying out the mentality he’s carried from stop to stop in the NBA. “Last year, physicality… a lot of dudes that were, you know, just finesse players. So I brought a different attitude, motivation, and determination to this team. And I think guys are following and like the style of play.”
Brooks doesn’t use physicality as a tactic. It is the language he speaks. In the shadows of empty gyms, some players devote themselves to improving their jumper or footwork. Brooks focuses on something more primal – pressure, force, and the psychological space he can carve out in the game’s more uncomfortable corners. Talking about toughness as a performance posture is not something he does. To hear him tell it, it’s practically encoded in his mind.
“That’s how I was raised. That’s the way I was for my whole life,” he said. “But when I get between these four lines or anything that’s competing, it brings something different out of me. I want to win, do anything at any cost, so I feel like I’m two different people when it comes to being on the court and mingling and being with my teammates.”
Brooks’ dual nature makes him both polarizing and captivating. Off the court, teammates frequently describe a guy who is fun, thoughtful, and intensely loyal. On the court, he becomes the player who doesn’t mind when fans boo him, doesn’t shy away when critics criticize him, and doesn’t apologize when his personality is loud.
Brooks is not in the business of rebranding himself for comfort or approval, which is clear. He may frustrate opponents, agitate fanbases, and spark debates that seem bigger than basketball, but he always stays true to himself. In a society where people curate images down to the most minor details, this level of honesty, with sharp edges, is almost refreshing. Brooks is fully aware of who he is. The point has never been to see if people like it or not.
