Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has reignited one of the NBA’s most heated individual rivalries, declaring on a Twitch livestream that Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James is “overrated right now.”
The inflammatory comments have added a fresh chapter to the contentious, multi-year history between the defensive stopper and the league’s all-time leading scorer.
The latest salvo came during a conversation with streamer N3on. When asked to name the NBA’s most overrated player, Brooks didn’t hesitate: “Overrated? I’ll probably say LeBron, right now,” he stated.
“I feel like he’s overrated right now. I feel like his time is coming to an end. He got to pass that on to one of our world guys, either Luka (Dončić) or Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander).”
A Rivalry Forged in the Playoffs
Brooks’s criticism is the latest in a series of barbs exchanged since their 2023 first-round playoff showdown. Then with the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks publicly called the 38-year-old James “old” and was ejected from a game for a flagrant foul 2 after hitting James in the groin area.
Despite Brooks’s attempts to get under his skin, James led the seventh-seeded Lakers to a convincing six-game upset over the second-seeded Grizzlies. Brooks’s comments were widely seen as a failed attempt at psychological warfare.
The Stats Behind the Slights
While Brooks asserts that James’s time is ending, the 41-year-old’s production tells a different story. James is averaging 21.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game this season, numbers that would be a career year for many players and remain elite for a player in his 23rd season.
A look at their head-to-head history further complicates Brooks’s “overrated” claim:
LeBron James vs. Dillon Brooks: Head-to-Head History
| Metric | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Games Played | 26 games |
| LeBron’s Averages | 23.1 PTS, 8.0 REB, 6.6 AST, 1.0 STL |
| LeBron’s Record | 17 wins, 9 losses |
| Most Recent Matchup (Jan 2026) | Both players scored 16 points in a Suns win |
In their most recent matchup in January 2026, Brooks did manage to match James’s 16-point output in a Phoenix victory. However, over the full scope of their encounters.
Brooks’s Balancing Act: Criticizing Bron, Praising Luka
Interestingly, while Brooks took aim at James, he lavished praise on James’s Lakers teammate, Luka Dončić, naming the Slovenian superstar as a rightful heir to the league’s throne and the toughest player he’s ever had to guard.
“He’s deceivingly quick… once he got you on his back or his hip, it’s like you’re kind of at his mercy,” Brooks said of Dončić. The numbers support his respect; Dončić averages 29.4 points per game in their 12 career matchups.
Brooks did offer a sliver of respect to James’s legacy, even as he dismissed his current play. “One of the legends, you’ve got to respect him in that aspect for sure,” he conceded before reaffirming his on-court mentality. “But when you’re on the floor… it’s war.”
The “Villain” Persona and Playoff Implications
This incident is classic Dillon Brooks, who has fully embraced the “villain” role in the NBA. His strategy is to get under the skin of opposing stars, and few targets are bigger than LeBron James
Whether Brooks’s assessment is legitimate criticism or calculated gamesmanship is up for debate.