“That’s More Ammunition”: Dillon Brooks Gets Honest About Facing LeBron James on His Birthday
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IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Back in May, cameras caught Dillon Brooks smiling courtside as LeBron James and the Lakers were eliminated from the playoffs by Oklahoma City. A scene that summed up years of a rivalry Brooks has never bothered to hide. Months later, with James now on a new team entirely, Brooks just found something to keep it going.
The NBA schedule release confirmed the Phoenix Suns will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Dec. 30, which happens to fall on James’ 42nd birthday. Asked about the coincidence, Brooks responded as expected.
“I’m excited. That’s more ammunition for me to win that game, but it should be fun,” he said (h/t) ClutchPoints.
Brooks could have played it safe and wished James a happy birthday, called the date a nice storyline, moved on. Instead, he treated it as leverage, saying the date gives him extra motivation to beat James rather than any reason to ease up.
It’s consistent with how Brooks has approached this rivalry from the start. He was initially unaware of the birthday coincidence when asked, but embraced it immediately once he found out, rather than downplaying it for the cameras.
Asked as a follow-up whether he was disappointed the two would face off less often now that James has left the Western Conference for Philadelphia, Brooks responded: “No, I’m not at all,” before adding: “But it’ll build up for the games that we play.”
A LeBron-Brooks Rivalry With Real History Behind It
Brooks and James have clashed since 2023. He first drew attention for saying he didn’t fear James and that he only respected players who’d scored 40 points against him.
He has kept the rivalry alive off the court as well, recently naming James the most overrated player in the league during a livestream with streamer N3on, without hesitation.
With James now playing for a stacked 76ers roster alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown, his role and minutes are expected to shift. Philadelphia is only scheduled to play Phoenix once more beyond the Dec. 30 matchup.
That is part of why Brooks’ comments landed the way they did. Rather than treat the reduced number of meetings as the rivalry cooling off, he framed the one guaranteed contest left on the calendar as the game worth circling, birthday or not.
Ubong Archibong is an NBA writer at BasketballNews, bringing over two years of experience in basketball coverage. Having previously worked with BasketballNews, Sportskeeda and FirstSportz, he has developed a strong foundation in delivering timely and engaging content around the league. His coverage focuses on game analysis, player performances, and evolving narratives across the National Basketball Association. Blending statistical insight with storytelling, Ubong aims to go beyond the immediate headline by placing performances and moments within a broader context, helping readers better understand the dynamics shaping the game. His work prioritizes clarity, accessibility, and a fan-first approach that connects audiences to both the action and the personalities behind it. Before joining BasketballNews, Ubong covered the NBA and WNBA across multiple platforms, building experience in fast-paced reporting and deadline-driven publishing. His background in content writing has strengthened his ability to balance speed with accuracy, ensuring consistent and reliable coverage for a global audience.
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