It didn’t take long for Phoenix Suns fans to fall in love with Dillon Brooks, and for good reason. He gives his best every night, even when it might not seem like the wisest thing to do.
Brooks was listed as questionable due to Achilles soreness prior to their recent game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, but ultimately played. He led the Suns to a huge win.
Brooks wins wherever he goes in the NBA.
What we have seen from the Canadian so far this season is further proof that he is a winning player, and everywhere he does the team improves. Bill Simmons by The bell certainly thinks so, calling Brooks the most “underrated player of the decade” on a recent podcast that you can watch below.
That’s an exaggeration on Simmons’ part, and we all know how much he loves it, but there is some truth to that statement. There’s a reason Houston Rockets fans were sad to see him leave this summer, and that’s because he helped reset the culture after the James Harden era.
Before that, he was also part of a feisty Memphis Grizzlies squad, though he was less refined and more obnoxious at the time. The elder Brooks did what he could to inspire his teammates, but it didn’t always work.
Compare that to what he does in The Valley, taking someone like Collin Gillespie under his wing. Brooks doesn’t deserve credit for Gillespie’s breakout season, but he certainly believes in his teammate.
He raves about him every chance he gets and gave him the nickname “Villain Jr.”, which set the tone for the entire season. He also expects his team to compete every night, no matter what.
The Suns are actually slightly worse defensively when Brooks is on the court, giving up 113.4 points for the season so far, but 115.1 when he is off it.
That only tells part of the story, though, and his perimeter defense and IQ to blow up opposing plays and ask for switches has been incredibly helpful to the younger guys on the roster.
Brooks has also formed a nice partnership with center Mark Williams, and much of this has taken place without Devin Booker on the court. As for Jalen Green, we’ve barely seen him.
So even when Brooks is expected to be the best player, he acts like it, has no problem taking 20 shots a night, and is usually backed up with some unexpected wins.
Simmons may have been trying to be funny, but there’s always some truth in what we find hilarious. Dillon Brooks is a winning player and the Suns are reaping the benefits this season.
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