The Memphis Grizzlies were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2022-23 NBA playoffs. Dillon Brooks, who still played for the Grizzlies, received plenty of backlash during the series after previously emerging as a villain in the league. Although he is now on the Houston Rockets, Brooks recently unveiled a LeBron James and Lakers revelation from last year's playoff series, via Chris Mannix of si.com.

“That’s when I realized how big the Lakers were, how big LeBron James is,” Brooks said. “It’s part of my life. It’s going to make me a better player.”

Brooks was referring to the criticism and backlash he received following the series. He has learned to embrace it though. In fact, Brooks has continued to speak confidently during the 2023-24 season in regards to facing LeBron and the Lakers.

Brooks may be known as a villain in the NBA, but he is helping the Rockets this season.

Dillon Brooks' impact on Rockets

Rockets' Dillon Brooks shooting a basketball.

Brooks is an aggressive defender who is willing to guard any star if necessary. He is versatile as well. Brooks is currently averaging 1.1 steals per contest.

Offensively, he is averaging 13.7 points per game on 55.1 percent field goal shooting. Brooks is also dishing out 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists per contest.

There weren't many people around the NBA who expected the Rockets to be a contender. And there is still plenty of time for Houston to slide in the standings. With that being said, Dillon Brooks and Houston currently hold a 6-3 record.

The Rockets feature a young roster, but they are exceeding exceptions so far. Their performance is especially impressive given the fact that they were linked to James Harden all offseason but ended up not acquiring him via trade. And speaking of Harden, the Rockets will battle the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.