Dillon Brooks didn’t just randomly name a target – he reacted to a direct prompt during a livestream hosted by RayAsianBoy, where the question was framed in a blunt, almost baiting way: who is a “dumb” NBA player.

That setup led the Phoenix Suns forward into naming Los Angeles Lakers wing Jarred Vanderbilt, leaning into a criticism of his offensive limitations rather than his overall value.

“I’m about to throw a shot I can’t even lie, but this guy doesn’t really like me, who cares. Jarred Vanderbilt on the Lakers. Called Vando… He’s like a rebounder, can’t shoot, defense,” Brooks said during his appearance on the stream.

The former Houston Rockets forward has shared some tense moments with Jarred Vanderbilt on the court. When with the Rockets last season, he and Vando got into a scuffle during a regular-season game. The Lakers player shoved Brooks in the chest. Their back-and-forth escalated. The referees tossed Vanderbilt, while Brooks received a tech.

His recent take wasn’t motivated by their past. Dillon Brooks just feels Jarred Vanderbilt has limited himself, despite having the gifts to be a dynamic basketball player.

“I just think he has way more potential that he’s not untapping. “He’s like 6’9″, bro, and he’s mobile, but he has no (offense). I got to guard (Ray) tougher than I had to guard him,” the former Grizzlies forward added.

Dillon Brooks is not a casual commentator – his critique lands because he’s a high-usage, defensive specialist who has built a reputation as one of the league’s most physical perimeter defenders and provocateurs.

He is a starting-caliber wing and two-way rotation piece for the Phoenix Suns, coming off a season where he averaged nearly 20 PPG and played a major scoring role alongside stars like Devin Booker. His identity in the league is defined by physical defense, high intensity, and willingness to guard elite wings, which gives him credibility when evaluating other defenders.

Even though Brooks is polarizing, players and analysts tend to take his evaluations seriously because:

• he regularly guards elite offensive players,
• he plays heavy playoff minutes,
• and he has firsthand matchups against the player he criticized.

Vanderbilt has never had the platform to develop his scoring gifts. His career-high 8.3 points with the Utah Jazz highlight what teams want from Vando when on the floor. He’s best used as a point-of-attack defender who uses his high motor to be effective as a rebounder. Brooks’ dig wasn’t because he hates Vanderbilt. Additionally, Vanderbilt has not publicly responded to Brooks’ “dumb player” comment (as of current reporting).

He also didn’t do it just because Vando plays with LeBron James.

Dillon Brooks clarifies his feelings for LeBron James

Since the Suns are not in the playoffs, Dillon Brooks has been documenting his offseason with RayAsianBoy. They’ve linked up over the past few days. One of the first things the popular streamer wanted to know was how Brooks really feels about James. The old tweets he’s made show that there was once a fan. But then the regular taunting makes it seem like James took something from Brooks.

At the very least, it’s all just the Canadian forward’s competitive juices not letting him be friends with an opponent.

“No, I really went to go see what OKC was gonna be on,” Brooks said when asked whether he hates LeBron James. “So, I’m watching the series and it’s kind of like our series. Where they’re in the game first and second quarter. And then, they blow it open”.

There wasn’t any praise or reminiscing about the times Dillon Brooks could admire LeBron James’ career. Brooks has faced off against the Akron Hammer wearing three different uniforms. Not once has he stepped away from their intense on-court exchanges. It doesn’t look like he’s going to stop until James retires.