Dillon Brooks never needs much prompting to turn a matchup into a message, and the Suns veteran is already looking ahead to the next time he gets his hands on two of the league’s biggest names.
Brooks said he’s most excited to face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with Victor Wembanyama close behind, according to HoopsNation on X, formerly Twitter. He made it clear he sees a real edge in those matchups, especially against Gilgeous-Alexander, and didn’t shy away from revisiting his own track record.
“A little rivalry brewing up. I live for this.
Dillon Brooks says he “had Shai’s number” and hopes SGA sees this 👀
— HoopsNation (@HoopsNation_) August 20, 2026
Now he has Wemby on his radar too. pic.twitter.com/R1CWACXotF
I live for those. If we get him again this year, it's definitely going to be Shai,” Brooks said.
“Even before he got to like this level - because he's one of the greatest in our game right now - I had his number, and I hope he watches this, too, because we can go to the stats. In Memphis, under 20, easy.
But I'm going to give you one more, it's probably going to be Wemby. You're going to start seeing that.
I'm going to get more agitated with him.”
Brooks also said after a recent regular-season meeting that he believes he’s been able to make life difficult for Wembanyama. On a stream with Ray, he said, per SlatDontMiss on X, formerly Twitter:
“I'm the real straps for Wemby… I'm telling you, you search up his numbers against me, that s*** is real low. But I've got to see him now, I haven't seen him this year,” said Brooks on a stream with Ray, per SlatDontMiss on X, formerly Twitter.
The numbers from recent games don’t exactly back down Brooks’ confidence, but they don’t fully match it either. In the Suns’ last two games against Wembanyama and the Spurs, the Defensive Player of the Year scored 17 and 34 points while shooting 48.3% from the field.
Dillon Brooks tells Ray that Victor Wembanyama hasn't reached his pull potential yet & he's the only one in the NBA who can guard him 👀 pic.twitter.com/3Xg109dE6N
— Slatt♱ (@SlatDontMiss) May 13, 2026
Against Gilgeous-Alexander in the Thunder’s first-round series against the Grizzlies in 2025, Brooks held him to 15 points on 4-for-13 shooting in Game 1. Gilgeous-Alexander then ramped up from there, finishing the 4-0 Oklahoma City sweep with 38 points and shooting 54.2% in the series-clinching 117-115 Game 4 win.
Brooks and Gilgeous-Alexander have already traded words in the playoffs, too. After Game 2 of last season’s first-round series, Gilgeous-Alexander was asked about the back-and-forth with his fellow Canada men’s national basketball teammate.
“He was just doing his usual antics. Then, I scored on him.
I let him hear it a little bit,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, before responding to Brooks' postgame comments made accusing SGA of “flailing” and flopping. “I can’t control what Dillon or anybody else, on the otherside is gonna complain about.
All I can do is try to go out there and win basketball games for my team. I mean, Dillon’s doing what he’s supposed to do.
He's supposed to bring energy to the game.
Rile up the game. Once again, he did a great job of bringing energy to the game tonight. Super fun out there, and I love playing against him.”
Brooks has built a reputation on these kinds of confrontations, and Gilgeous-Alexander has never looked bothered by it. Add Wembanyama to the mix, and there’s another matchup worth circling for 2026-27.
In Other News...
Spurs Arena Push Just Cleared A Hurdle With Big Stakes
The Spurs push for a new downtown arena cleared an important political hurdle this week when the San Antonio city council declined to reopen the $489 million funding question for a public vote. The project remains a major civic undertaking, with the Spurs planning to cover $500 million of the $1.3 billion price tag while the city and county handle the rest, keeping the focus on how quickly the franchise and local leaders can turn a long-discussed vision into something concrete.
Spurs CEO RC Buford backed the councils decision and framed the arena process as one that can now keep moving forward on a long runway. The club is still targeting a 2029 start to construction and a 2032 opening, a timeline that gives the organization room to keep working through the financing and planning details while the rest of the basketball operation carries on, including Victor Wembanyamas new role as captain of the French national team ahead of World Cup qualifying. [Read more 🡒]
Dwyane Wade Just Raised The Stakes For Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama has already moved from cant-miss prospect to one of the NBAs defining young stars since the Spurs made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He has piled up the kind of early rsum that usually takes years to build, earning two All-Star nods while establishing himself as the centerpiece of San Antonios rise back into the leagues upper tier.
Dwyane Wades public praise only adds to the pressure that comes with that trajectory, because expectations around Wembanyama are no longer about potential alone. The Spurs have a franchise player with elite credentials already on the board, and when a three-time champion starts talking about what should come next, it is a reminder that San Antonio is being measured by a far bigger standard than just making noise in the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
DeMar DeRozans Denver Move Could Create A New Spurs Opening
DeMar DeRozan is headed to Denver on a one-year deal, according to NBA senior insider Chris Haynes, and the move is already being picked apart for what it says about the Nuggets' current construction. DeRozan brings real scoring value and a long track record as a halfcourt shot-maker, but the fit questions are easy to see when you look at a roster that still has to balance its offense with the demands of the Western Conference.
For San Antonio, the more interesting layer is what this kind of veteran swing can mean around the league as teams keep chasing short-term answers. Denver is trying to add another established name to its mix, but this is the sort of deal that can also sharpen the pressure on a roster if the pieces do not naturally complement each other, and the Spurs know that kind of ripple effect can reshape the market even when they are not the team making the move. [Read more 🡒]