By now we’re sure you’ve seen all the footage from every angle, but the latest installment in the saga between Dillon Brooks and LeBron James may have been the most eventful yet.
The Los Angeles Lakers escaped with a narrow two-point victory, but along the way the Phoenix Suns and Brooks gained the sympathy of the broader NBA community. Those Lakers, at it again, huh?
Brooks goes from villain to hero in feud with LeBron
If there’s one thing rival fans love to do, and fans in The Valley themselves were once guilty of it, it’s hating Brooks. If he is not on your team, he is an easy target due to his hard play and antics to rile up opponents. But Mat Ishbia? Absolutely loves him.
So it would have been understandable if the league had sided with James and the Lakers after Brooks completely interfered in LeBron’s affairs and was ejected for his troubles. Not so.
LEBRON JUST PUSHED AND YELLED AT THE ref???
We’ve seen Dillon Brooks get under a guy’s skin before, but this is something different from LeBron… #NBA pic.twitter.com/1K98UkayhL
— ESPN Australia and New Zealand (@ESPNAusNZ) December 15, 2025
It was the moment above that preceded Brooks being thrown out of the match that left everyone wondering: How on earth could James get away with getting his hands on a referee like that?
When Brooks joined LeBron’s cause later in the game, it wasn’t nearly as hostile (we think there may have been some mild flopping going on with how easily James was pushed back, too, but that’s all we’ll say).
Should Brooks have been ejected? We’ve probably seen players go for much less. But that’s exactly why, for just one night, Brooks went from being the villain of the piece to being the guy the entire league was rooting for.
James should also have been ejected from the game for his behavior toward the officials, and social media was flooded with fans once again outraged that the Lakers received the favorable calls that led to a narrow victory.
This is uncharted territory for Brooks, and it’s not likely to happen until the two sides meet again. But for one night, everyone was on his side, while he also marveled at his incredible ability to step into the shoes of one of the best to ever do it.
Not since Lance Stephenson have we seen an opponent so clearly try to wind up James, and have so much success doing so. The two sides meet again just before Christmas. Expect more fireworks.
#Dillon #Brooks #unthinkable #latest #feud #LeBron #James