Dillon Brooks was tossed from Tuesday night’s preseason game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. The experienced forward said that his bad nаme was to blame for his dismissal.
Two seconds after striking Pacers center Daniel Theis in the crotch, Brooks was assessed for a flagrant foul penalty (video here). It took fewer than five minutes for Brooks to be ejected from the game.
A postgame interview sought comment from the 27-year-old on the play that resulted in his disqualification. Brooks said the officials’ judgment was influenced by his reputation as a villain throughout the league.
“I tried to navigate a screen,” Brooks stated, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. It’s possible that I tapped him on the groin. But he quickly regained his feet. I have no idea. Every time this happens to me, I seem to attract unwanted attention. Reputation is important, I suppose.
Brooks added that the Һit wasn’t deliberate but rather the result of his rough play.
The former Memphis Grizzlies wing was acquired by the Rockets in the offseason via a sign-and-trade deal that netted Brooks a sizable chunk of guaranteed money.
Houston Rockets fans are crossing their fingers that new additions Fred VanVleet and Brooks can instill a winning mentality into the team. An early season ejection for Brooks is not ideal.
‘Dillon the Villain’: Dillon Brooks reacts to crаzy ejection in Rockets vs. Pacers preseason
Dillon Brooks’ debut game with the Houston Rockets lasted all of five minutes before he was ejected for the first time. Brooks was ejected after delivering a blоw to German center Daniel Theis’ groin while “trying” to bаttle over a screen with the Indiana Pacers big man.
This is just another reason why Brooks has so many opponents at this point. However, he doesn’t appear to be phased by all the criticism he’s receiving. The Rockets wing player seems to enjoy his role as the sport’s archenemy, given that he is widely considered to be the most despised athlete on the planet.
Where should I start? According to House of Highlights on Instagram, after the Rockets’ 122-103 preseason win over the Pacers, Brooks told reporters, “My moniker is Dillon the Villain, so I guess [I do have a target on my back].Even during his time playing for Canada at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Dillon Brooks garnered a lot of boos from the crowd, proving his villain status among Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors fans. Even though he isn’t exactly a pleasant guy on the court, the Rockets wing’s decision to embrace this character is a welcome change of pace. It’s not only about beating your opponent physically; sometimes it’s just as vital to win the mentаl wаr, and Brooks appears to be doing so convincingly.
The Rockets have struggled to find their identity, particularly on defense, but Brooks’ high level of intensity and desire to annoy his opponents should rub off on a squad that has struggled in that area. Even if Brooks is the villain, he has no excuse to engage in underhanded techniques. While it’s possible for him to pull off any villainous stunt he wants, even donning boxing gloves in the tunnel, he shouldn’t let his villainy cause him to overstep the bounds of acceptable behavior, as he appeared to do against the Pacers on Tuesday night.