The NBA has fined Dillion Brooks of the Grizzlies $25,000 for not speaking to the media during the first-round series against the Lakers, the league announced Sunday.
The fine stems from the forward’s decision to not make himself available to the media after the three road losses in Los Angeles.
Brooks was a major storyline in the series, as he was notably poking LeBron James throughout the first round, claiming the 19-time All Star is “old” and that he doesn’t “respect no one until they come and give me 40.”
His choice to leave the locker room may have been influenced by what he sees as the media’s villian-like portrayal of him during the series after hitting James in the groin in Game 3.
“The media making me a villain, the fans making me a villain and then that just creates a whole different persona on me,” Brooks told reporters during the series. “So now you think I intended to hit LeBron James in the (groin). I’m playing basketball. I’m a basketball player. So if I intended — and that’s whatever is in the flagrant 2 category — if you think I did that, that means you think I’m that type of person.”
James, 38, remained quiet for most of the series about Brooks, saying he is not a “part of that committee” after the NBA didn’t suspend Brooks for the groin shot.
“If he’s in the lineup, out of the lineup, we’ve got to prepare no matter what,” said James, who confronted Brooks on the court before Game 3 in full view of everyone in attendance.
However, following the series, James broke his silence over social media in a tweet, using Jay-Z’s lyrics to his hit “Trouble” to diss Brooks.
On Instagram, James posted a dig at Brooks’ “I poke bears” comment saying “If you ever see me fighting in the forest with a Grizzly bear, HELP THE BEAR,” along with a photo of him celebrating the series win.
Brooks finished his sixth season with the Grizzlies, as Memphis dropped the series to the Lakers 4-2.
In the regular season, he averaged 14.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists over 73 games.