The NBA Season Hasn't Started Yet, But Dillon Brooks Already Has A Battle Scar

Dillon Brooks has shown zero fear in his NBA career thus far. He isn’t afraid to get in a physical altercation or two. Ahead of the 2025–26 season, it appears that Brooks has already gotten involved in one.

On Saturday, Brooks showed up to a media availability with gauze above his right eyebrow. When asked about it, the Phoenix Suns forward gave an intriguing answer.

“One of my teammates got me with an elbow,” he said with a slight smile.

Which teammate was it, Dillon? “You keep that,” Brooks told the reporter who posed this question. He may have been wounded, but his loyalty to his teammates was 100% intact.

Far from taking a tone of frustration after sustaining a facial injury, the Canadian enforcer took pride in the level of physicality that he and the rest of the Suns brought to practice.

“That’s our intensity. We play hard no matter what it is,” Brooks said. “I’m alright. Just got six stitches, ain’t nothing that I’ve never faced before.”

Since his days with the Memphis Grizzlies, Brooks has established a reputation as a hard-nosed defender who uses both his brawn and his brains to gain an edge. When it comes to hardcourt action, few can match the intensity that the 6-foot-7 wing showcases when he’s on a defensive assignment.

For better or for worse, Brooks is also a savant when it comes to playing mind games. He infamously declared that he “pokes bears” when the Grizzlies took on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 NBA playoffs. James, who is usually quite reserved when it comes to opponents trying to psych him out, was visibly and audibly responsive to Brooks’ shenanigans in that series.

Now, Brooks will be bringing his defensive specialization to the Suns, a team seeking to write a new chapter following the departure of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. This time, Brooks will be teaming up with Devin Booker and Jalen Green to form one of the most potent wing rotations in the league.

Green, however, is set to miss some time due to hamstring issues. When the Suns tip off their season this week, Brooks will have a bigger spotlight than expected as he seeks to bring a new identity to Phoenix. He doesn’t have to brag about his toughness, though. The battle scar says it all.