Few players command the NBA spotlight like LeBron James, which is why a single word from Dillon Brooks was enough to send shockwaves across the league this week.
Asked during a casual car interview to name the most overrated player in basketball, Brooks paused briefly before delivering his verdict.
“I’ll probably say LeBron right now,” Brooks said on N3onHQ, explaining that he believes the league has begun to shift decisively toward a younger generation of stars.
The timing of the comment was striking. Just days earlier, James had turned back the clock in a blowout win over the Washington Wizards, throwing down three emphatic dunks that spread quickly across social media.
At 41, James remains one of the league’s most productive players, averaging 21.9 points, 6.6 assists and 5.8 rebounds while shooting efficiently and anchoring a playoff-contending Los Angeles Lakers squad.
Brooks‘ words did not come from nowhere. His confrontational style has followed him from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Phoenix Suns, and James has often been at the center of it.
During a 2023 playoff series, Brooks repeatedly labeled James “old,” drawing national attention before the Grizzlies were eliminated.
More recently, Brooks was ejected from a December matchup after jawing with James late in a close game, later suggesting the Lakers star receives a more favorable whistle.
In the interview, Brooks framed his critique less as a personal shot and more as a reflection of where he thinks the league is headed.
“I think his time is coming to an end,” Brooks said. “We gotta pass that on to one of our world guys, like Luka Doni or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.”
It’s a sentiment shared quietly by some around the league, but rarely stated so plainly about a player whose rsum includes four championships, four MVPs and two decades of dominance.
What the numbers still say about LeBron
Despite Brooks‘ assertion, James‘ production tells a different story. He was especially strong in January, averaging more than 23 points per game while shooting over 50 percent from the field.
Coaches still game-plan around him, defenses still collapse when he attacks the rim, and teammates still defer to his decision-making in closing moments.
James‘ standing is also reflected in All-Star voting. While he is unlikely to be named a starter for the first time in more than two decades, he remains a near lock to make the roster, which would extend his record to 22 selections.
Meanwhile, Brooks is enjoying arguably the best season of his career with the Phoenix Suns, averaging over 21 points per game and earning praise from analysts such as Charles Barkley, who recently suggested Brooks merits serious All-Star consideration.
A debate that will settle itself on the floor
The conversation is unlikely to cool off anytime soon. Phoenix and Los Angeles are separated by just a handful of games in the Western Conference standings and will meet later this month in a matchup that figures to be tense.
Brooks insists his comments are rooted in respect and competitiveness. James, for his part, has long preferred to let his play answer criticism.
As long as he continues to produce at an elite level, debates about decline will remain theoretical, and remarks like Brooks‘ will only add fuel to a rivalry that shows no sign of fading quietly.
