Dillon Brooks
Introduction
Dillon Brooks is a Canadian professional basketball forward for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, a former Oregon Ducks college star and Memphis Grizzlies wing known as one of the league’s most aggressive defenders. On September 30, 2026, the New York Post reported that Scottsdale prosecutors had formally charged him with misdemeanor driving under the influence stemming from a March 6 arrest in Scottsdale, Arizona. The charge was filed by the Scottsdale City Attorney’s office on Monday, September 28, according to court records, and Brooks is due for arraignment on October 28, 2026 — one week after the Suns open their 2026-27 regular season. The charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor and remains unadjudicated.
Background Information
Brooks was born on January 21, 1996, in Mississauga, Ontario, and played two college seasons at the University of Oregon, where he was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2017 before being drafted 45th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2017 NBA draft and traded to Memphis. He spent six seasons with the Grizzlies, was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2023, and joined the Suns in 2025 as part of the Kevin Durant trade. He averaged 20.2 points per game in his first Phoenix season and signed a three-year, $73 million contract extension with the Suns in the summer of 2026. His previous record includes a January 2026 traffic stop in which he was charged with reckless driving and speeding for allegedly driving 85 mph in a 45 mph zone.
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Charged, not convicted; presumed innocent. Scottsdale prosecutors charged Brooks on September 28, 2026 with one count of DUI liquor/drugs/vapors/combo, a Class 1 misdemeanor, according to court records. The charge stems from a March 6 arrest and has not been tested in court; no plea has been entered and no conviction exists. Brooks, through his attorney, has acknowledged the charge and said he intends to let the case proceed through the courts.
Scottsdale police said they pulled Brooks over for a traffic violation at around 1:33 a.m. on March 6, 2026, near Scottsdale Road just south of Thunderbird Road, and said he exhibited signs of impairment during the stop. Bodycam footage released after the arrest showed Brooks appeared to blow a 0.0 on a breathalyzer test, while an officer could be heard accusing him of having a vehicle that smelled “like a dispensary.” Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported that Brooks was suspected of being under the influence of marijuana rather than alcohol. Brooks, who was nursing a broken hand at the time, told the officer he had not smoked “in, like, six months,” and was released from custody about an hour after the stop, according to TMZ, which first reported both the arrest and the September charge. He later apologized to teammates and coaches over the arrest, Arizona Sports reported.
The DUI charge is not Brooks’ only open matter: he also faces Class 2 and Class 3 misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and exceeding the speed limit from a January 12, 2026 stop, with a court date in November, according to Arizona Sports. None of the allegations has been adjudicated. Scottsdale prosecutors formally filed the DUI complaint on Monday, September 28, and the Suns had not announced any disciplinary action as of the day the charge was reported. Brooks’ attorney, Larry Kazan, said in a statement: “Dillon Brooks acknowledges that he has been charged in connection with this matter. He respects the legal process and intends to allow the matter to proceed through the courts,” adding that neither Brooks nor counsel would comment further while the case is pending.
Public Reaction and Consequences
The New York Post’s report of the charge drew wide attention to a case that had simmered since bodycam footage of the March stop circulated widely in the spring, showing the 0.0 breathalyzer reading and the “dispensary” comment. Coverage of the formal charge led with the timing — filed during training-camp week, with the arraignment set for seven days after Phoenix opens its season — and recirculated the mugshot from the March booking. The Suns have not commented publicly on the filing, and no suspension, fine or roster move had been announced by the team or the league as of September 30, 2026. Brooks’ acknowledgment of the charge through his attorney is the only public statement from his side.
Current Status
As of September 30, 2026, the DUI case is pending at the arraignment stage: Brooks is scheduled to appear in Scottsdale municipal court on October 28, 2026, and no plea has been entered. The separate reckless-driving case from the January stop remains pending with a November court date. The Scottsdale City Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the New York Post. Brooks has been charged but not convicted of anything, and both cases are unadjudicated at this writing.
Impact on Their Career/Life
Brooks entered the 2026-27 season as a cornerstone acquisition of the Suns’ rebuild — a $73 million extension signed months earlier and a 20-point scoring average in his first Phoenix year — and the DUI charge now attaches to the opening stretch of that contract. The recirculated bodycam footage and mugshot dominate coverage of the team’s training camp, and the October 28 arraignment lands a week into the regular season, guaranteeing the case stays in the sports news cycle. Because the charge is a misdemeanor and unadjudicated, the NBA’s discipline would await its outcome; none had been announced at this writing. The presumption of innocence applies to both pending cases.