Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks continued his long-running feud with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, this time taking aim off the court. On Saturday, Brooks appeared on a live stream with content creator Rangesh “N3on” Mutama and was asked to name the most overrated player in the NBA today. After a brief pause, Brooks responded:

“I'll probably say LeBron right now,” Brooks stated. “I feel like he overrated right now. I feel like his time is coming to an end. He gotta pass that on to one of our world guys, like Luka [Doncic] or Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], or me.”

However, Brooks did acknowledge James as “one of the legends,” saying:

“One of the legends. You gotta respect him in that aspect (putting in the work) for sure.”

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Brooks' disdain for James is not new. The animosity between Brooks and James dates to Brooks' time with the Memphis Grizzlies and flared most intensely in the 2023 first-round playoffs, where James and Los Angeles eliminated Memphis in six games. The rivalry had cooled down somewhat, but flared again this season during the December 14 contest between the Suns and Lakers. Brooks's swipe at the ball triggered James's fury. In the waning moments of the game, angered by the absence of a foul call on James, Brooks got in his face and was hit with a second technical foul, resulting in his ejection. However, that left Phoenix unable to cling to the advantage they had gained with 12.2 seconds remaining, ultimately falling 116-114.

The Suns wing never shies from controversy and has openly clashed with Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and Draymond Green. Over 43 games this season, Brooks is averaging career highs of 21.1 points on 44.8% shooting and 3.6 rebounds per game. He's contributing 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game while logging 30.9 minutes per contest. Moreover, his three-point percentage sits at 35.4%, and his free-throw efficiency is 86.1%, giving him a true shooting percentage of 56.1%.

Meanwhile, LeBron, now 41, remains productive despite his age. He is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.2% from the field and 32.8% from three-point range. This performance far exceeds the average output for NBA players over 40, which stands at 6.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.

Brooks and James will meet again on February 26 at the Mortgage Matchup Center.