What happens when the NBA’s most relentless antagonist keeps poking the league’s biggest superstar—whose best friend just happens to be the antagonist’s own agent? Dillon Brooks and LeBron James added another heated chapter to their long-running rivalry on December 14, when the Lakers edged the Suns 116–114 in a tense finish that saw things get chippy late in the game. As usual, Brooks didn’t back down afterward, taking a shot at James for being a “social-media junkie” who gets into “moods or modes” over criticism.

But this time, the fallout could extend far beyond the court. With Brooks represented by Klutch Sports—run by Rich Paul, LeBron’s closest confidant and longtime best friend—fans are wondering whether the latest verbal jab might finally prompt consequences from inside Brooks’ own camp.

“I guess he’s a social-media junkie,” Brooks said. “He be all over the socials, so he be seeing I guess what I’m saying. Like I’ve (said), he thinks that people should think a way about him or not say nothing about him or play a certain way, and I’m not going to play that way. He gets in his moods or in his modes or whatever it is. I’m all for that.”

The moment that sparked it came pretty late Sunday night. Brooks buried a three over James to put Phoenix up 114–113 with 12.2 seconds left, capping a comeback after the Suns had been down 20. James knocked Brooks to the floor while closing out on the shot. No foul was called. Brooks didn’t like it, and the frustration carried over into a bump with James moments later.

Brooks’ comments only added fuel, but James took a different approach when asked about it.

“I just like to compete. He’s going to compete. I’m going to compete. We’re going to get up in each other’s face. Try not to go borderline with it. I don’t really take it there. But we’re just competing and did that almost all the way to the end of the game,” James said.

The whole thing has often been treated with a bit of humor, another odd NBA feud that pops up a few times a year. But there’s an extra wrinkle that makes this one harder to ignore. Brooks is a Klutch Sports client. Klutch, of course, is run by Rich Paul: James’ longtime agent, business partner, and close friend.

That connection has fans wondering whether it complicates things behind the scenes, and whether Paul’s influence could ever intersect with Brooks’ future in the league.

Fans are worried about Paul hurting Dillon Brook’s career

Rich Paul, for his part, doesn’t seem all that worked up about the whole thing. Asked about the dust-up, he shrugged it off more than anything else.

“At the end of the day, poke the bear. I want that. I enjoy the competition of it all. LeBron is in year 23. There’s nothing he hasn’t seen,” he said.

That hasn’t slowed the fan chatter, though.

“He ain’t gone stop till they Rich Paul send them trucks thru and have him in China,” one fan wrote.

Top Stories

WNBA Responds to WNBPA Strike Authorization Vote With Official Statement

Did Zion Williamson Slide Into Sydney Sweeney’s DMs? Fact Checking the Viral Screenshot

Who Is Calvin Booth’s Wife Keisha Booth? All Details of Nuggets Former Gm’s Personal Life Revealed

Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier Gain Momentum Outside WNBA Amid CBA Tensions

Caitlin Clark Shows Concerning Signs vs. Kelsey Plum During USA Camp Debut, per National Reporter

Brooks has earned his reputation, both with James and around the league. It’s to the point that Basketball Reference literally lists his nickname as “Dillon the Villain.” Add a few more moments like this, fans joke, and Paul is going to have him on the first flight overseas.

“All of this is sooo much funnier when you find out Dillon Brooks is represented by Klutch Sports,” another said. Others quickly piled on to echo the sentiment.

“Only just found out that he’s a Klutch client too, which just makes this even more funny lol,” they wrote. Another took it a step further, suggesting Brooks’ move to Phoenix was Paul’s way of getting even.

“Bron and Rich can’t fool me, man lmfao,” they remarked.

It’s all said mostly in jest. Still, for a lot of people, the realization that Brooks is a Klutch client only adds another layer to everything that’s unfolded between him and LeBron.