Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks may be a villain in the eyes of opposing NBA teams and players—LeBron James, most especially. But let the record show he’s not necessarily a bad guy, as his image usually suggests. In fact, Brooks is actually a man of the people, at least sometimes.
One of those times was during pregame shootaround ahead of the Suns’ game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday at Little Caesars Arena. While getting loose and putting shots up, Brooks noticed a young fan and gave her a core memory she’d probably never forget: He gamely played Rock-Paper-Scissors with her.
And the stakes? Whoever wins gets the other’s shoes.
Dillon Brooks Comes Through
The fan and Dillon Brooks played a best-of-three, and the Suns’ enforcer won the first game. But the young fan got him back quickly, setting up a winner-take-all round. The little girl again won, completing the comeback and beating one of the NBA’s premier instigators.
But that wasn’t the best part. That came a bit later.
Like a true gentleman, Brooks honored his word and later gave the young fan his shoes. He initially told her he’d give her the pair after the game, but then proceeded to do so just a few minutes later. The Suns’ social media team caught the wholesome interaction and posted it on the team’s X account:
Suns, Brooks Come Up Short
Unfortunately for the Suns and Dillon Brooks, the game afterward didn’t go their way, as the Pistons rallied from an early 16-point deficit to pull out a 108–105 win. Jalen Duren was a beast for Detroit, netting a huge 16-point, 18-rebound double-double to lead the way. Brooks put up 16 points in the loss but shot just 4-for-16 overall and fouled out.
Brooks might have lost twice on Friday—in basketball and in Rock-Paper-Scissors—but he definitely made a young fan’s day.
