SGA Speaks Out on Dillon Brooks' Reputation in New Video, 'That Villain Stuff, It Doesn't Faze Me'

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had nothing but positive things to say about Phoenix Suns wing Dillon Brooks after the Thunder swept the Suns in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Monday night.

Speaking to reporters following OKC's 131-122 win in Game 4 (beginning at the 8:30 mark), SGA was asked about Brooks congratulating the Thunder players on advancing to the second round, and he took that opportunity to give Brooks his proverbial flowers:

"It was just respect," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "Knowing Dillon, he's a great competitor, great guy. No matter what people say about him, he's a really good guy when you get to know him. All that villain stuff, it doesn't faze me. I know exactly who Dillon is. He had a hell of a series. Keep getting better, I'm proud of him."

Due to his tenacious, in-your-face style, Brooks has the reputation of being an agitator on the court, but Gilgeous-Alexander has a better understanding than most of who Brooks is as a person.

SGA is from Toronto and Brooks is from Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, and they have both played for Team Canada at the international level.

Perhaps most notably, they won a bronze medal together at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, marking Canada's first top-three finish ever at the event.

Gilgeous-Alexander and Brooks were also part of Team Canada at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, although they fell to France in the quarterfinals and failed to medal.

SGA is the reigning NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP, and he could be in line to repeat in both categories depending on how the Thunder fare during the playoffs.

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As for Brooks, he just completed the best season of his nine-year NBA career, as he averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game during his first campaign in Phoenix.

Brooks also performed spectacularly during the Suns' four postseason games against OKC, leading Phoenix with 26.0 points per contest.

Few expected the Suns to achieve much this season after trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for a package headlined by Brooks and Jalen Green, but Brooks leveled up in a big way and helped lead the Suns to the playoffs.

If he continues to improve and the Suns make some savvy offseason moves, perhaps they could be in the mix as legitimate contenders next season.