John Collins Grabs Dillon Brooks’ Neck In Heated Exchange At Pistons vs. Suns Preseason Opener

Dillon Brooks has earned a reputation for being an instigator, and in some way, his gamble paid off as John Collins was assessed a flagrant foul. Even though Brooks was also handed a technical foul, he earned the Suns two free throws, helping Phoenix extend its lead.

For obvious reasons, Collins’ sudden outburst garnered interest from NBA fans across the world. With many reacting to the clip on social media, here are some reactions from fans on X:

“Wasn’t even five minutes in,” said one fan.

“The ghost of Beef Stew lives on,” joked another, pointing to former Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart and his reputation for getting into fights.

“At what point do you start throwing punches? I guess grabbing your neck isn’t enough? Brooks is a puss, confirmed,” commented another.

“Dillon done met his match,” chimed one user.

“NBA is really back,” added an excited user.

“Men are so dramatic,” observed another.

“I think we have all wondered when someone would choke Dillon Brooks. We’ve all wanted to,” shared one user. “So many worthy occasions. Solid performance by Collins.”

“Dillon Brooks antics in preseason. Yeah, he’s going to be a menace,” noted a fan.

“He was going to whoop tf out of Dillon Brooks,” claimed one user.

“Oh, John Collins… I was not familiar with this part of your game… Welcome to Detroit. We’ll get you settled in,” said one proud Pistons fan.

Despite being the aggressor in this scenario, John Collins surprisingly found himself earning support for his actions rather than criticism. In many ways, this serves to highlight the negative opinions fans have of Dillon Brooks. Still, his value for the Suns cannot be underestimated.

While emerging as one of Phoenix’s best players last season, Brooks has positioned himself as a vital cog in the Suns’ system. Although the duo of Devin Booker and Jalen Green will be the driving force behind the team’s offseason, Brooks’ contributions as a two-way threat add another layer to the team.

Thus far, Collins has contributed with eight points and three rebounds in 15 minutes of action. Sadly, he has arguably been outplayed by Dillon Brooks, who notched 11 points and two rebounds in 16 minutes of playing time.

Collins’ violent gesture toward Brooks should have set the tone for the game. Unfortunately, the Pistons haven’t been able to build off it, as Detroit finds itself trailing by 17 points midway through the third quarter. With limited production from the bench, the Pistons seem to have lost control in this matchup.