Dillon Brooks ‘Excited’ to Play Against LeBron James on His 42nd Birthday: “More Ammunition For Me”

Dillon Brooks is continuing his rivalry with LeBron James ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Dillon Brooks ‘Excited’ to Play Against LeBron James on His 42nd Birthday: “More Ammunition For Me”

LeBron James and Dillon Brooks (Image via Legion Hoops/X)

With no prior affiliation or history with the Philadelphia 76ers, LeBron James‘ decision to join the organization as a free agent was a surprise to many. He announced that the 76ers will be the fourth and final team of his career.

Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks is coming off an impressive first season with the Phoenix Suns and has established himself as one of the top players on the team. Heading into the 2025-26 campaign, the expectations surrounding the Suns were low, but Brooks played an instrumental role in leading the team to the playoffs.

After James’ move to the Eastern Conference, the matchups between him and Brooks will be rare from next season. However, they are scheduled to face off in Phoenix on December 30. The day also marks James’ 42nd birthday.

During his press conference, Brooks was asked about their matchup on the King’s birthday.

Oh, that’s LeBron’s birthday too? I’m excited. That’s more ammunition for me to win that game, but it should be fun.

Dillon Brooks in his press conference

James’ move to Philly has put them as strong contenders to come out of the East next season. The 76ers have had one of the best summers in recent years and have put together arguably the most dominant team in the league today.

Dillon Brooks and James share some history together on the court. The two had some heated exchanges last season and have created a rivalry of their own over the last few years. Unfortunately, the NBA world will be restricted to just two matchups between the two stars next season.

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Fans react to Dillon Brooks’ excitement about playing against LeBron James on his 42nd birthday

Brooks has often been labeled as the “villain” of the NBA. He is known for being an agitator and loves to get under his opponent’s skin, especially against James. He fueled his rivalry with James after making an appearance court side when the Lakers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs last season.

After his response to playing James on his 42nd birthday, fans quickly reacted to his excitement on social media.

Fans were left excited and credited the NBA for scheduling the clash on James’ birthday. Brooks will clearly be relishing the opportunity to put a damper on the King’s birthday.

Dillon Brooks is not disappointed to play LeBron James just twice next season

Brooks joined the NBA in 2017, while LeBron James moved to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018. Hence, the two have clashed three or four times in the regular season over the last eight seasons. Last season, they faced off five times against each other with the Suns winning the head-to-head series 3-2.

Dillon Brooks and LeBron James
Dillon Brooks and LeBron James (Image credits – Yahoo Sports)

When asked if he is disappointed that he will see less of James next season, Brooks was not too bothered about it.

Not at all, but I’ll build up for the games that we play.

Dillon Brooks in his press conference

The Suns forward is focused on the season ahead rather than just playing against James. After having his best offensive season last campaign, he was rewarded with a three-year, $73 million contract from the Suns. The 76ers and Suns will meet once more on February 17 in Philadelphia.

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