Cronkite News offers an audio version of this story using an automated voice created by AI. Errors in pronunciation, pacing and intonation may occur. If you notice an error please contact cronkitenews@asu.edu.
MESA – When Dillon Brooks’ name is mentioned, it likely brings to mind his reputation as a “villain.” Off the court, Brooks is doing his best to reflect a different image.
Brooks came to the Suns last offseason in the trade that sent superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. Going into his second season with the franchise, and recently signing a $73 million, three-year contract extension, Brooks has become a household name not only in the arena, but all over the Valley.
On Saturday, the Phoenix Suns forward hosted a youth basketball camp as he continues to ingrain himself in the Phoenix community. His goal was not only to teach the campers basketball skills, but to provide life lessons and advice.
“I guess mental wellness,” Brooks said when asked what he hopes the kids learn from him both on and off the court. “It’s crazy that with all this social media and all this stuff, we’ve got to teach the kids that from early on, mental wellness and mental health is an important thing.”
Brooks said he wants kids to have fun playing as well, because that’s the root of the game.
“They (should) just enjoy basketball,” Brooks said. “It’s fun. They can learn a little bit that they can bring to their organizations, or the teams that they have, to make a better connection.”
While Brooks is known across the NBA landscape as a villain – and in March attracted negative attention after a DUI arrest in Scottsdale – the people in attendance at the camp saw a different side of him.
“He’s actually a good guy,” Rodney Johnson, a parent of one of the campers said. “I know it’s a persona – everybody’s got to carry some kind of thing, that’s his superhero, you know? So he can be a villain and still be a good guy.”
Johnson had brought his 11-year-old son to former Suns guard Grayson Allen’s basketball camp for the past few years.
“This is Dillon’s first year doing something like this, so we decided to participate as well,” Johnson said, adding that he hopes his son can understand “the importance of discipline and the importance of hard work.”
Johnson also echoed the idea that the Brooks that fans see on the court is a lot more than just his reputation as an NBA villain.
When asked about Brooks’ recent contract extension and taking time to involve himself in the community, Johnson said: “He’s showing his leadership, on the court and off the court. This is not the first event we’ve been to. We follow him wherever he goes because he’s a good leader.”
Johnson isn’t the only one who appreciates Brooks’ involvement in the community. Ricky Rencher, a retired 20-year Navy veteran, and also a volunteer coach at the camp, appreciates how much Brooks gives back to the community because he does the same thing.
Rencher runs the One Team, One Dream Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in the West Valley that supports underprivileged mothers, children, and communities through various initiatives. On Dec. 19, Rencher will host his fifth annual Christmas event, giving back to single mothers.
“I love giving back to the community and I love what Dillon Brooks does here in the community,” Rencher said.
Rencher drove more than an hour to volunteer at the camp, and he noted that some families he spoke to drove from as far away as Oregon and Chicago to attend the camp.
“That tells you the type of person he is and the character he has,” Rencher said. “He’s done so much for this community in such a short time. You can’t beat that.”
Camp director Mark Gutierrez noted the importance of the kids getting the chance to interact with the athletes they watch on TV.
“These are dreams come true for a lot of these kids,” Gutierrez said. “They get to spend time with their favorite athletes in the world.”
Outside of Arizona, Brooks recently returned from an offseason trip to China where he took part in martial arts training while experiencing traditional Chinese Kung Fu culture. He even tried duck head and decided it was “actually really good.”
With Suns training camp around the corner, Brooks is eager to get the season underway and continue to build upon the culture he helped instill last season.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to the guys, building together,” he said. “We’re trying to repeat what we did last year, and grow as an organization.”
While the villain persona is set to make its return, the families that attended Brooks’ youth camp saw someone inspiring the next generation and giving back to a community that has embraced him as one of their own.
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Suns forward Dillon Brooks empowering kids at youth basketball camp
Ethan Kinney, Cronkite News
September 15, 2026
Cronkite News offers an audio version of this story using an automated voice created by AI. Errors in pronunciation, pacing and intonation may occur. If you notice an error please contact cronkitenews@asu.edu.MESA – When Dillon Brooks’ name is mentioned, it likely brings to mind his reputation as a “villain.” Off the court, Brooks is doing his best to reflect a different image.
Brooks came to the Suns last offseason in the trade that sent superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. Going into his second season with the franchise, and recently signing a $73 million, three-year contract extension, Brooks has become a household name not only in the arena, but all over the Valley.
On Saturday, the Phoenix Suns forward hosted a youth basketball camp as he continues to ingrain himself in the Phoenix community. His goal was not only to teach the campers basketball skills, but to provide life lessons and advice.
“I guess mental wellness,” Brooks said when asked what he hopes the kids learn from him both on and off the court. “It’s crazy that with all this social media and all this stuff, we’ve got to teach the kids that from early on, mental wellness and mental health is an important thing.”
Brooks said he wants kids to have fun playing as well, because that’s the root of the game.
“They (should) just enjoy basketball,” Brooks said. “It’s fun. They can learn a little bit that they can bring to their organizations, or the teams that they have, to make a better connection.”
While Brooks is known across the NBA landscape as a villain – and in March attracted negative attention after a DUI arrest in Scottsdale – the people in attendance at the camp saw a different side of him.
“He’s actually a good guy,” Rodney Johnson, a parent of one of the campers said. “I know it’s a persona – everybody’s got to carry some kind of thing, that’s his superhero, you know? So he can be a villain and still be a good guy.”
Johnson had brought his 11-year-old son to former Suns guard Grayson Allen’s basketball camp for the past few years.
“This is Dillon’s first year doing something like this, so we decided to participate as well,” Johnson said, adding that he hopes his son can understand “the importance of discipline and the importance of hard work.”
Johnson also echoed the idea that the Brooks that fans see on the court is a lot more than just his reputation as an NBA villain.
When asked about Brooks’ recent contract extension and taking time to involve himself in the community, Johnson said: “He’s showing his leadership, on the court and off the court. This is not the first event we’ve been to. We follow him wherever he goes because he’s a good leader.”
Johnson isn’t the only one who appreciates Brooks’ involvement in the community. Ricky Rencher, a retired 20-year Navy veteran, and also a volunteer coach at the camp, appreciates how much Brooks gives back to the community because he does the same thing.
Rencher runs the One Team, One Dream Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in the West Valley that supports underprivileged mothers, children, and communities through various initiatives. On Dec. 19, Rencher will host his fifth annual Christmas event, giving back to single mothers.
“I love giving back to the community and I love what Dillon Brooks does here in the community,” Rencher said.
Rencher drove more than an hour to volunteer at the camp, and he noted that some families he spoke to drove from as far away as Oregon and Chicago to attend the camp.
“That tells you the type of person he is and the character he has,” Rencher said. “He’s done so much for this community in such a short time. You can’t beat that.”
Camp director Mark Gutierrez noted the importance of the kids getting the chance to interact with the athletes they watch on TV.
“These are dreams come true for a lot of these kids,” Gutierrez said. “They get to spend time with their favorite athletes in the world.”
Outside of Arizona, Brooks recently returned from an offseason trip to China where he took part in martial arts training while experiencing traditional Chinese Kung Fu culture. He even tried duck head and decided it was “actually really good.”
With Suns training camp around the corner, Brooks is eager to get the season underway and continue to build upon the culture he helped instill last season.
“I’m looking forward to getting back to the guys, building together,” he said. “We’re trying to repeat what we did last year, and grow as an organization.”
While the villain persona is set to make its return, the families that attended Brooks’ youth camp saw someone inspiring the next generation and giving back to a community that has embraced him as one of their own.
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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