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Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons lately. His recent DUI arrest is still a fresh controversy, but a recent report confirms another troubling driving incident earlier this year.

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A few weeks prior to his arrest in March, on January 12, Brooks received a citation for reckless driving, according to TMZ. The 30-year-old was exceeding the speed limit by 85 mph in a 45 mph zone, according to police records. Businesses in the area were still open, and police thought Brooks’ speed posed a serious risk of an accident.

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The officer also stated, “Every time you drive up on this street, especially the past week, you’ve been speeding aggressively fast.” Further adding, “The only reason I’m saying any of this to you is that criminal speed in the state of Arizona is an arrestable offence.”

Dillon Brooks was calm and composed and asked whether he was actually speeding; the answer was yes. Despite the severity, Brooks was not taken into custody that night.

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Instead, he was issued a citation and allowed to leave. They handed him the ticket, no cuffs or any proceedings, but the officer did inform it was a last warning. TMZ also noted that his court appearance on this issue is slated for next month for exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 mph. Unfortunately for the Suns forward, the officer’s warning proved accurate: 8 weeks later, he was arrested.

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Dillon Brooks issued an apology after a DUI arrest

Police arrested Brooks around 1:00 AM on March 6 on suspicion of DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to the video obtained by TMZ Sports, the responding officer immediately stated a strong odor coming from Brooks’ vehicle. “To be honest with you, smells like a dispensary in your car.” The Suns’ star even answered that he had not smoked in “six months.”

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Authorities later clarified that the substance Brooks was suspected to be under the influence of was neither alcohol nor marijuana, based on the initial findings. Officers claimed that the reason for the arrest was that Dillon Brooks failed to maintain his lane several times while driving. But the 30-year-old argued, “I’m riding in the car with you watching you drive, and you’re doing the exact same thing,” Brooks responded.

Authorities took Brooks into custody at 1:30 a.m was later moved to the Scottsdale City Jail. The 30-year-old was released just a few hours after being taken to jail at around 3:30 a.m. After the entire debacle, Brooks reportedly spoke to his Suns teammates and apologized to them, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.

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His teammate, Colin Gillespie, spoke in support of Brooks. “We’re not above anybody else,” Gillespie said. “We all make mistakes. He knows that. He owned it. He apologized to the team, but we got his back.” The NBA has issued no punishment yet, but the issue from January shows a pattern that can force Adam Silver’s hand to make one.

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Pranav Kotai

2,835 Articles

Pranav Kotai is an editor at EssentiallySports, specializing in basketball coverage with a focus on trade dynamics and front-office decision-making. Having previously worked on the Trade Desk vertical, he brought clarity to how salary cap pressures and roster needs shape NBA transactions. His insightful coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers’ decision to hold firm on Joel Embiid amid trade speculation highlights how market context and team strategy influence major roster moves. Before joining EssentiallySports, Pranav holds experience of skills in professional writing, editorial work, and digital content creation. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital media from a reputed institute, where he mastered the tools to create engaging and credible content across various platforms. Known for his attention to detail, proficiency in storytelling, and editorial expertise, Pranav combines deep basketball knowledge with sharp analytical abilities to deliver clear, insightful perspectives on the complexities of NBA trades and team management.

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