Dillon Brooks apparently looked at a normal NBA offseason and decided it was not intense enough, so he went to China.
Not for a vacation, not for sightseeing, not even for a relaxing plate of noodles.
Brooks was spotted in the Wudang Mountains training kung fu. Yes, the Phoenix Suns forward has apparently decided that working on his basketball game is not enough. Now he wants martial arts added to the schedule.
Experiencing it all in Wudang 🥋
Dillon getting a masterclass in Kung Fu in the mountains of China pic.twitter.com/YjFuZTTz8q
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 8, 2026
Why simply spend hours in a basketball gym when you can also learn how to fight like a movie character?
Dillon in the Wudang Mountains of China ⛰️ pic.twitter.com/XBfc0WuDGy
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 7, 2026
Brooks has gained a reputation for always being in the gym, working on his game like it is an addiction. This offseason, at least, he is complementing his training regimen with a martial art.
Kung fu has a long history, including plenty in China. On Monday, Sept. 7, the Suns’ X (formerly Twitter) account posted footage of Brooks honing his kung fu.
Some combat skills known to transfer to basketball are concentration, rhythm, and strength and conditioning. Five-time All-NBA selection and Washington Wizards big man Anthony Davis is known to have trained boxing before, so Brooks is not the only NBA standout to see value in martial arts/combat sports.
The Wudang Mountains are famous for their connection to Chinese martial arts. They are also a pretty serious change of scenery from an NBA practice facility.
Brooks, who has an All-Defensive selection on his resume, missed 26 games last season. When on the court, however, he played better than he ever has.
He averaged 20.2 points per game, which was the first time he had averaged 20-plus points per game in his career. On the court for every playoff game the Suns played in, Brooks averaged 26 points per game with 45.9/43.8/100 shooting splits.
At this point, the man probably considers sitting on the couch an illegal defensive three-second violation.
The Suns will certainly hope all that work pays off when the season begins.
