The NBA fined Dillon Brooks of the Memphis Grizzlies $35,000 for shoving a courtside camera person during Wednesday night’s game, according to a statement from the league.
The incident occurred late during the second quarter of the Grizzlies’ 19-point loss to the Miami Heat. Brooks was attempting to save a ball from going out of bounds when he crashed into the stands near the scorer’s table. When Brooks landed in front of a camera person, he appeared to use his left arm to shove the man completely out of his seat.
Dillon Brooks was fined $35k for “the unsportsmanlike act of shoving a camera person on the sideline after pursuing a loose ball,” the NBA announced. pic.twitter.com/dPFLnzFFcc
— ESPN (@espn) March 17, 2023
The NBA later called the shove an “unsportsmanlike act” in a Friday statement on Twitter.
The following was released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/1oipEge3om
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 17, 2023
Brooks has turned into one the dirtiest players in the league throughout 2023. He seemingly gets involved in some sort of altercation every other game.
During the 2022 NBA playoffs, Brooks shoved Gary Payton II of the Golden State Warriors so hard on a layup that Payton fell and fractured his left elbow.
Gary Payton II takes a hard fall after the foul from Dillon Brooks.
Brooks has been an ejected from the game. pic.twitter.com/36wnOrtFZt
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) May 4, 2022
Brooks was later suspended for the dangerous shove, but his chaotic actions have seemingly only continued.
Back in February, Brooks appeared to swing his arm below the belt of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell after falling to the floor, igniting an all-out wrestling brawl between the two.
Spida and Dillon Brooks get CHIPPY 😳 pic.twitter.com/jGhYHa8VAS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 3, 2023
It’s pretty clear that in order for Brooks to make up for his lackluster offensive skills, he resorts to doing slick stuff that’s unrelated to basketball just to get under the skin of his opponents. He has quickly morphed into the modern-day Bill Laimbeer of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons from the 80’s and 90’s.
Brooks shoving an innocent cameraman to the ground the way he did Wednesday just goes to show what kind of person and player he is. In my opinion, Brooks is bad for the NBA. If he feels the need to get physical with people in the confines of a basketball game so often, I suggest he tries out for the WWE or the UFC.
I’m happy the NBA fined Brooks over this, but $35K to a rich NBA player is nothing but pocket change. I believe the fine should have been doubled, if not tripled. (RELATED: Lonzo Ball’s Career In Jeopardy As He Prepares To Undergo Third Surgery On Same Knee)
Brooks is by and large the dirtiest player in the NBA right now and I don’t think it’s particularly close, either.