HOUSTON -- NBA superstar LeBron James spoke highly of Dillon Brooks, recognizing his accomplishments and acknowledging his deserving contract with the Houston Rockets this summer. ESPN reports that James believes Brooks earned every penny through his hard work and performance on the court.

When questioned about whether Brooks' portrayal as his adversary during the Memphis Grizzlies-Los Angeles Lakers playoff series had boosted his market value, James emphasized that every player who receives a contract is deemed worthy of it.

"I think every player that is awarded with a contract is awarded for a reason, and they're worthy of the contract that they get," James said on Wednesday. "So I think in his case, he was worthy of the contract he got. He's put in the work since he came out of Oregon, and that's what Houston found value in and he's here. So no, I think it has nothing to do with that."

Brooks recently signed a lucrative four-year, $80 million deal with the Houston Rockets. The Rockets have been making significant changes, adding Coach Ime Udoka and veteran guard Fred VanVleet to complement their talented core of Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.

During the Grizzlies-Lakers playoff series, Brooks gained attention for calling LeBron James "old." However, he struggled on both ends of the court, averaging only 10.5 points on 31.2% shooting (23.8% from 3-point range), along with 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists in six games. In contrast, James led the Lakers to victory, posting impressive averages of 22.2 points on 48.6% shooting, 11.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.

Despite their previous rivalry, Brooks expressed readiness to face James again, focusing on his defensive efforts.

"Ready to lock him up," Brooks confidently stated. "He's shooting the ball well. He's been playing well. So I'm just there to make him tired, make him get into that fourth quarter early."

As for James, he stressed that he doesn't dwell too much on past playoff history with Brooks. Instead, he is more concerned with helping the Lakers secure their first road win of the season.

"I think just the competition alone," James explained. "It's always great to go out and compete, so he's one of those guys who likes to compete along with a lot of other guys in our league. But I don't really dwell in the past too much.... Over the years, I kind of leave that in the past and find a way to [think about]: 'How can we get our first road win?' That's what my mindset is, for sure."

With James and Brooks set to face off once again, fans can expect an intense battle on the court as the Rockets take on the Lakers in their upcoming matchup.