Dillon Brooks seems to have a knack for hitting his opponents in the groin. It’s a new year and a fresh new team for Dillon, but he is still the same old Dillon Brooks, which is not a good thing for him as well as for his new team the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets have not been able to perform well since their former star player James Harden got traded. They have been driving on a rocky road ever since. Dillon Brooks signed a four-year contract this offseason and the Rockets are expecting him to play hard and improve their current situation.
Dillon Brooks’ rocky start with Rockets
The recent preseason game in which the Rockets faced off the Indiana Pacers, Dillon Brooks got ejected for striking big man Daniel Theis in the groin. Brooks was trying to fight off a screen and simply decided to do this by hitting Theis in the groin. Brooks was given a flagrant foul 2 and was ejected after playing less than 5 minutes in his preseason debut.
Brooks spoke about his flagrant foul on Theis after the game. He said, “[I] Tried to navigate a screen. I might have tapped him below the waist, but he got right back up, and I don’t know. It’s just weird that every time that happens to me, I get picked on, so I guess this is a part of the reputation.”
The referees reviewed the play and found Brooks to be guilty of unnecessary and excessive contact with his opponent. But this was not the first time Dillon had hit someone in the groin.
In fact, Dillon has a history of attacking NBA stars on their groin. Brooks was tossed from a playoff game last spring in a nearly identical incident after hitting Lakers superstar LeBron James in the groin. He was also suspended one game after striking Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell in the groin. The Rockets signed Brooks for strengthening their defense but if Brooks does not stop with his antics, the whole team will have to suffer. Last season he led the league with 18 technical fouls and as a result he was fined and suspended for two games.
Brooks signed a four-year $86 million deal with Houston
After being scrutinized by the Memphis Grizzlies last season, people didn’t expect Brooks to receive a handsome offer in the 2023 free agency.
NBA fans also made fun of Dillon saying that he would end up playing overseas. However, Brooks proved his haters wrong when he inked a four-year, $86 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade to the Houston Rockets in July.
Now it seems that Dillon has revenge on his mind and will channel his hatred into fuel in order to help the Rockets defeat the Grizzlies. During his media day appearance on Monday, Brooks said that he has a lot to prove in the 2023-24 NBA season. He added that he has the Rockets’ upcoming games against the Grizzlies circled on his calendar.
“Big chip. That’s one of the games that’s circled on my list. We get to get them four times so it’s amazing”, Dillon said.
Dillon also said that he would work hard for facing each and every opponent team and not just the Grizzlies. He wants his work ethic to be infectious and inspire his teammates. He also said “But I play hard regardless. It’s not even a chip no more. It’s just an everyday thing that I bring to my life and bring to basketball. I just want it to be contagious throughout the whole team, throughout the whole organization to strive and to be ready to get on this road, this journey.”
The Rockets’ first game against the Grizzlies will take place at home on November 22. The two teams will then rematch in Houston on December 13. This will be followed by matchups in Memphis on December 15 and February 14.
What is your take on Dillon Brook’s questionable on-court antics? Feel free to share with us in the comments below.
