After failing to make himself available to reporters on multiple occasions during the team’s first-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillion Brooks has added another fine to his tally for the season.
The 27-year-old will be paid $25,000 for his “failure to participate in the team’s post-game media availability during the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs,” the NBA says. announce Sunday.
Brooks has no shortage of things to say. He threw a lot of trash talk towards LeBron James during the series, but eventually told reporters that he feels the media and fans have given him an inaccurate “villain” reputation.
Unfortunately for him, the current NBA collective bargaining agreement requires players to “agree to and be given the opportunity to be interviewed by media representatives at reasonable times.”
After a dominant Lakers 125-85 win in Game 6, Brooks likely didn’t want to answer questions about his attempt to compete with Lakers superstar LeBron James.
Brooks called out James after the Grizzlies won Game 2. After that contest, Brooks said James was “going old”. Brooks added, “I don’t respect anyone until they come and give me a 40.” The Lakers won Game 6 by 40 points as James won
Brooks apparently left the locker room before the media were allowed to speak to the players.
Brooks also dodged the media after the third game. He tried to “prick the bear” at James, but he knocked himself out instead. James was hit in the groin, roasted online and outplayed by two glaring fouls.
He exited the game with 7 points on 3-of-13 shooting, while James put up 25 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists in the Lakers’ 111-101 victory.
“I’m fine,” he told reporters who tried to talk to him after the loss.
James mostly refused to acknowledge Brooks’ comments and actions while available to the media throughout the series, James was shown responding with some of Jay-Z’s words on Twitter after Game 6:
Brooks finished the six-game series with only 63 points and 20 personal fouls. Even worse, his actions during the regular season and the postseason cost him a significant amount of money. On March 21 it was pHe was deported He had lost $248,242 through fines and suspension.
He was suspended after becoming the league leader for technical fouls in the regular season (18). He was also suspended for instigating an altercation in court with Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell hit him in the groin in February. A month later, Brooks was fined $35,000 for paying a photographer.
With the Lakers advancing to the second round against whichever team wins in the first round between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors, he’ll have a chance to think it all over.