Dillon Brooks is turning heads in the desert, and Monday night was just the latest chapter in what's shaping up to be a career-defining season. The 30-year-old forward dropped a game-high 27 points and knocked down 6-of-9 from deep, helping the Phoenix Suns secure a 126-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets. It wasn’t just a hot hand-it was a statement.
And for those who’ve been around Brooks long enough, this version of him isn’t exactly a surprise.
“He’s an All-Star, in my opinion,” said Nets forward Ziaire Williams, who spent time with Brooks in Memphis. “These same shots he’s hitting now-he was hitting them every day in practice.
Before games, after games. He’s logging 30, 35, sometimes 40 minutes, and then he’s back in the gym getting more shots up.
That’s just who he is.”
Williams didn’t stop there. “He’s a great teammate.
I hate playing against him, but you love him on your team. His competitiveness is second to none.”
That edge-fueled by relentless work and a chip-on-the-shoulder mentality-has been central to Brooks’ resurgence. After being labeled a throw-in during the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, Brooks has flipped the script in Phoenix. Far from being a salary dump, he’s become a two-way anchor for a Suns team that has quietly climbed to a 26-17 record.
Brooks is averaging a career-best 20.9 points per game on .457/.351/.851 shooting splits. That’s not just efficient-it’s impactful. He’s spacing the floor, defending at a high level, and bringing a level of intensity that’s contagious.
And Monday’s performance came at just the right time. Brooks had been ice-cold from three in his previous three games, hitting just 4-of-23 from beyond the arc. But if there’s one thing that defines his season, it’s resilience.
Suns head coach Jordan Ott wasn’t sweating the slump.
“We know he works. It’s process-based,” Ott said after the win.
“Whether it’s one game, two games, three games-the greatest shooters go through it. But it’s about the process.
Are we taking good shots? He got nine of them up tonight, and I thought all nine were good.”
Ott added a telling anecdote: “I actually saw him in the lobby going to shoot before the Knicks game, at night. So it’s not a surprise.”
That kind of dedication doesn’t just build confidence-it builds trust. And Brooks is earning plenty of that, both inside the Suns’ locker room and across the league.
Now, with All-Star selections looming, Brooks is making his case. He finished 14th in the media vote, and while the odds may be stacked against him in a crowded Western Conference field, his impact in Phoenix is impossible to ignore.
Twelve players from each conference will make the All-Star team, with coaches voting on the reserves. And while Brooks may not have the profile of bigger names like his Suns teammate Devin Booker or Portland’s Deni Avdija, his production and presence are speaking loudly.
Whether or not he lands that All-Star nod, one thing’s clear: Dillon Brooks isn’t just having a good season-he’s redefining his career.