Dillon Brooks Is So Dislikable, He Makes LeBron James Likable

Every playoff series needs a villain, or so they say. Enter Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies. He plays the villain role with Reggie Miller-like flair, if only Reggie Miller routinely scored in single digits.

Generally, everyone outside of the opposition loves the villain. Not so for Brooks. Here's the problem: he’s less likable than IBS on a first date.

Surely, LeBron James agrees.

OutKick's Alejandro Avila broke down Brooks' Game 2 antics last night. Brooks is irritating as all hell. You can witness most of Brooks' clown act here.

Dillon Brooks is a slightly above average NBA player. It’s unlikely he’ll ever make an All-Star team and the only way he’s getting into the Hall of Fame is with a ticket. If he weren’t teammates with Ja Morant, it’s unlikely anyone outside of the Grizzlies locker room would know who he was. He’s a poor man’s Draymond Green without the talent.

Brooks is the annoying kid who somehow hangs out with coolest kid in school, but only because they’re cousins.

Dillon Brooks spent Wednesday night chirping LeBron James . (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images).

Currently, he’s doing the unthinkable: becoming so easy to hate, that he’s making LeBron James likable. Yes, that same LeBron who’s on-court dramatics often leave us wondering if he’ll earn serious consideration for best performance in a drama at each year’s Oscars. The same LBJ who avoids cameras and attention with the same frequency as a Kardashian.

On Wednesday evening, Brooks flipped the script and grabbed the spotlight, just long enough for NBA fans outside of Memphis to be reminded of what a clown he is.

Dillon Brooks, he of zero All-Star appearances and somehow even fewer notable plays, was consistently chirping LeBron James during the Grizzlies win over the Lakers.

Dillon Brooks Antics Make LeBron James (Almost) Likable

Knock LeBron’s penchant for drama both on and off the court all you want (I’m right behind you in that argument) but you can’t knock what he’s accomplished. The dude’s won a bunch of MVPs, four championships and is the league’s all-time leading scorer. Everyone knows who LeBron James is. On the other hand, if you asked a novice NBA fan if they know Dillon Brooks, chances are they’d surmise that he’s a country singer.

That lack of notoriety doesn’t stop Brooks, who had a robust stat line of 12 points, 1 rebound and 3 assists last night, from making the game about him. He’s an attention seeker who seems poised to soon be staring in a LeBron James poster.

Reggie Miller, John Starks, Dennis Rodman and Kevin Garnett could talk smack. They had the game and résumés to back it up. Dillon Brooks? Not so much.

Seriously, how unlikable is this guy? He’s making everyone outside of Grizz fans root for LeBron James. That’s like rooting to be punched in the face because your only other option is taking a kick to the nuts.

And Brooks isn't new to the wannabe villain role either. This season alone he's hit Donovan Mitchell below the belt, leading to an ejection and also started beef with Draymond Green. This led to Green calling Brooks an "idiot," and questioning whether even his own teammates like him.

Pot meet kettle. But I digress.

Fittingly, Brooks who again, has won nothing, chirped Green (four championships) after a regular season win. Green's had the luxury of teaming up with a couple of guys named Curry and Thompson (oh, and KD too), so he doesn't quite get the same benefit of the doubt as LeBron. But, he's still significantly more accomplished and impactful than Brooks. No one would argue that.

After the game Brooks said of LeBron: "I don't respect someone until he gives me 40." 38-year-old LeBron averaged just under 29 points and 7 assists this season along with more than 8 boards.

The only thing more ridiculous than Brooks' postgame statement was his attire.

Though Brooks' next NBA accomplishment will be his first, he has managed to do something few players have, make LeBron James likable.

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