PHOENIX – When legends speak, everybody listens. Former Phoenix Suns great Charles Barkley gave his two cents on who he believes deserves to be in the 2025-26 NBA All-Star game, and it was one of the members of the new Suns trio.
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Nov 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix former player Barkley (left) and team owner Mat Ishbia sit courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Charles Barkley says one Suns star deserves an NBA All-Star Game roster spot:
Charles Barkley campaigned for Dillon Brooks to be on the 2025-26 NBA All-Star Game rosters not just from a statistical standpoint, but from a cultural one. Talking with NBA Radio and Sirius XM’s Justin Termine and Suns analyst Eddie Johnson, Barkley cut straight to the questions of why Brooks isn’t more in the conversation of heading to the NBA All-Star Game. Barkley also discussed and questioned what Dillon Brooks does differently than Draymond Green? His answer, not much, wasn’t a slight. It was Barkley showing that Brooks has more than the requirements to be qualified for a spot.
Jan 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix forward Brooks (3) reacts against the Miami Heat in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Brooks’ value in Phoenix also lives in the margins that decide playoff games. He can guard the opponent’s best perimeter scorer, shift lineups defensively, and absorb the emotional stress that frees stars to score. Barkley also highlighted that Brooks has become a major piece of why the Suns have been so successful, as he just isn’t bringing his signature intensity; he is ingraining it in the Suns’ culture.
Jan 27, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix forward Brooks (3) shoots the ball against Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
For Phoenix fans, this hits home harder because it’s validation from a former Suns legend in Charles Barkley. Phoenix isn’t short on scorers; it’s searching for stability when games tilt sideways, and Brooks provides that. He communicates, he disrupts, and he plays with an edge that travels from October through May. That’s why Barkley called him a big piece of what’s going on in Phoenix, even while admitting the odds are against an All-Star nod. Nationally, Barkley’s argument challenges All-Star orthodoxy. If the league celebrates winning basketball, then players who enable winning, without gaudy stats every night, deserve the conversation.
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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen
