Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks very much became a villain during his time with the Memphis Grizzlies, especially after last year's playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers. But, that's not a label he wants.

In a recent interview with Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, Brooks explained why he doesn't want to be seen as a villain:

“Because villains never win.”

Short and simple. However, Brooks also realizes that he's never going to be loved and appears to be embracing it:

“Everyone can’t be the hero,” says Brooks. “I’d rather be what was chosen for me.”

The Canadian poked the bear in the first round of the 2022 playoffs, saying LeBron James was “old” and that he wouldn't respect him until The King dropped 40. While Bron didn't do so in the series, he was very important to Los Angeles upsetting the shorthanded Grizzlies. Dillon Brooks still felt like everyone blamed their early exit on him, but it was clear Memphis didn't have their entire team:

“We didn’t have our whole squad, and they did,” said Brooks. “People forgot about that. Just threw it on me.”

Brooks is now in H-Town and doing his part for the surging Rockets, playing lockdown defense and contributing offensively. He's averaging 13.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting over 50% from the field and downtown.

There's no question Houston fans appreciate Dillon Brooks' fiery demeanor on the hardwood, but he's definitely a player that every other fanbase hates. While that's not going to change anytime soon, Brooks clearly just wants to play ball and help his team win.