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Dillon Brooks Accuses Pistons’ John Collins of Trying to Choke Him
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- Dillon Brooks Accuses Pistons’ John Collins of Trying to Choke Him
The Detroit Pistons' preseason opener against the Phoenix Suns may be over, but Dillon Brooks apparently isn't finished talking about his confrontation with John Collins. A day after the two forwards had to be separated at Little Caesars Arena, Brooks offered his version of what happened and directly accused Detroit's newest power forward of trying to choke him.
Brooks also questioned why officials gave him a technical foul during the exchange, arguing that Collins escalated the confrontation. For a Pistons team that has embraced physicality as part of its identity, Collins certainly didn't waste much time introducing himself to that side of Detroit basketball.
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Dillon Brooks Accuses John Collins of Choking Him
The confrontation happened with 7:23 remaining in the first quarter of Detroit's 109-107 preseason victory Monday. Brooks and Collins had been battling physically in the paint before Collins secured an offensive rebound and Brooks continued making contact while attempting to prevent him from going back up.
Collins responded by turning toward Brooks and putting a hand around the Phoenix forward's neck area as players and officials quickly moved in. After reviewing the incident, officials assessed Collins a Flagrant 1 and Brooks a technical foul .
Brooks clearly didn't agree with that decision.
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"Then got the hit on me, and then I'm like, I'm not letting you go up," Brooks said while describing the sequence . "And then he turns around, and tries to choke me, and put his hands on me, and that's why I don't get why I got the technical foul. I mean, I didn't start nothing. I'm playing within the game. I try to bet on myself, but I'm betting against the house."
Brooks Says Collins 'Wanted No Smoke'
Brooks didn't stop at questioning the officiating. He also suggested Collins became frustrated because of how physical their matchup had become before the incident.
According to Brooks, the two were already going at one another before Collins grabbed the offensive rebound. Brooks portrayed the confrontation as Collins losing his composure after becoming frustrated by the Suns forward's trademark physical style.
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"Some people can't take the competitive physicality and he probably felt embarrassed when he tried to hit me and he fell to the ground," Brooks said. "And then, knowing me, I just like to do insult to injury. So, when he's getting up, I'm right on him again and he ran to the corner, wanted no smoke, and then, once he saw the shot go up, he felt like he had that chance to get a hit on me."
There is obviously another side to the confrontation, and video of the sequence shows Brooks applying plenty of physical pressure before Collins reacted. What isn't debatable is that Collins quickly made it clear he wasn't interested in backing down during his first game wearing a Pistons uniform.
John Collins Is Already Showing Detroit's Edge
Detroit brought Collins aboard this offseason for considerably more than toughness. The Pistons believe his combination of size, athleticism, positional versatility and outside shooting can make him an important piece alongside Cade Cunningham and the rest of a team coming off a 60-win season.
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Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff has already praised the versatility Collins brings to Detroit , pointing to his ability to shoot, roll to the rim and play multiple frontcourt positions. Detroit also added him with the expectation that he could provide another veteran presence to a roster attempting to become a legitimate championship contender.
Monday offered another potential dimension.
The Pistons developed a reputation last season as a team willing to play physical basketball and refuse to be pushed around. Collins' confrontation with one of the NBA's most notorious agitators certainly isn't something Detroit wants repeated every night, but his willingness to respond immediately probably won't hurt his popularity with Pistons fans.
Dillon Brooks Knows How to Find the Line
Of course, the identity of the other player involved matters here. Brooks has spent much of his NBA career becoming one of the league's most polarizing players because of his relentless defense, trash talking and ability to irritate opponents.
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He also led the NBA with 17 technical fouls last season , so finding himself involved in a heated exchange less than five minutes into his first preseason game isn't exactly stunning. Brooks thrives on pushing opponents toward the edge, and his own description of the sequence makes it clear that he wasn't attempting to de-escalate things.
That doesn't excuse Collins putting his hand around Brooks' neck. The officials reviewed the play and determined Collins' contact warranted the more serious Flagrant 1 designation, while Brooks' role in the confrontation earned the technical.
Brooks simply believes he shouldn't have been punished at all.
Collins Could Become an Easy Fit in Detroit
The Pistons made Collins one of their major offseason additions after signing him to a three-year, $51 million contract. Detroit is expecting much more than an occasional confrontation, especially after Collins averaged 13.6 points and shot 40.6 percent from three-point range last season.
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His first preseason appearance provided a small glimpse of how he might fit within the team's broader personality. Detroit wants to defend, play with force and make opponents uncomfortable, all while giving Cunningham enough shooting and athleticism to keep the offense dangerous.
Getting tangled up with Brooks doesn't prove Collins will succeed in Detroit. It does, however, suggest that he isn't going to spend much time being intimidated by the players assigned to make his life miserable.
The regular season hasn't even started yet, and Collins already has one of the NBA's premier agitators talking about him the next day. Welcome to Detroit.
