Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks has spent his offseason in ... the Wudang Mountains of China, training kung fu.
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.
Experiencing it all in Wudang 🥋
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) September 8, 2026
Dillon getting a masterclass in Kung Fu in the mountains of China pic.twitter.com/YjFuZTTz8q
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.
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.
One of the few defects in his game was committing so many technical fouls (17), that he was suspended at one point for it. He has voiced that he intends to commit fewer technical fouls next season, though. With martial arts typically associated with improving discipline in practitioners, perhaps training kung fu was always part of the plan.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks spotted in China training kung fu
