For several years, Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant were teammates on the Memphis Grizzlies.
They spent four seasons together and created some memorable moments before Brooks left in free agency in 2023. He's now with the Phoenix Suns.
Morant, for his part, saw his Grizzlies tenure come to an end this offseason when they traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers.
But it seems like the two of them maintain a close relationship. Brooks said he misses playing with Morant and called the 27-year-old one of his "best friends."
“I do miss playing with Ja (Morant), he’s one of my best friends”
Dillon Brooks when a camper asked about potentially reuniting with Ja Morant 😅 pic.twitter.com/o8we9mdw3Z
Brooks had a six-year tenure with the Grizzlies after coming into the league in 2017. He certainly made an impact and was an All-Defense selection in his final season with the team. He also contributed as a scorer despite an inconsistent 3-point shot.
Unfortunately, his time with the team had a sour ending. The Athletic reported that Brooks was told that he wouldn't be brought back under "any circumstances" in free agency in 2023. Brooks became known for his antics during his six seasons with the team, and that seemingly contributed to the decision to move on.
Morant, for his part, had a seven-year stint with Memphis. It just came to an end this summer, marking the end of an era for the franchise. During his time with the team, he was a two-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selectee. He was seen as the face of the franchise for several years and finished as high as seventh in MVP voting one season, but it became clear more recently that his time with the organization had run its course.
The former No. 2 overall pick had to deal with some controversy of his own during his Memphis run, as he was plagued by some off-the-court issues. But he has seemingly done a pretty good job of leaving that in the past, and he's going to get a chance to start fresh with the Blazers this coming season.
Brooks and Morant were key figures in a memorable chapter of Grizzlies history. Although the team never quite reached the heights it was certainly hoping to during that era, Memphis did win a playoff series in 2022, its first series victory in any postseason since 2015.
Now, the two players are focused on their current teams, and the Grizzlies are looking ahead to the 2026-27 season as they start a new story centered around prized rookie Cameron Boozer.
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