Jaylen Brown and Stephen A. Smith’s Ongoing Feud

Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown has finished his season, but his spat with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith gained momentum over the weekend. Brown criticized Smith on his livestream after Smith advised him to ‘be quiet.’ This came after Brown accused NBA referees of bias during the Philadelphia 76ers’ comeback victory over the Celtics.

Brown, a five-time All-Star, expressed his frustration on social media, stating he would ‘be quiet’ once Smith retired. On Sunday, he questioned, ‘Did he just say I needed to be quiet? Be quiet for who?’ He challenged Smith, saying, ‘You want me to stop streaming, then you need to stop broadcasting if you can’t deliver real journalism.’

Stephen A. Smith is perceived as the face of clickbait media, and his departure could encourage others to uphold journalistic integrity.

Smith previously wondered if NBA players felt safe in Memphis, to which Grizzlies guard Ja Morant responded during a 2024 event. Brown reacted to a clip of Smith critiquing him for not including Jayson Tatum on his stream, labeling Smith a ‘clown.’

The Celtics exceeded the expectations of NBA fans by having a better season. They started without Tatum, who suffered an Achilles injury last year. Brown stepped up, playing 71 games and averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. He argued that Smith didn’t grasp how leadership and team chemistry drove the Celtics to surpass projections.

Boston finished the season with a 56-26 record, claiming the Atlantic Division title.

Smith’s remark that Brown should ‘be quiet’ unless angling for a trade has fueled tension between the two. Ryan Gaydos, a senior editor for Fox News Digital, notes the ongoing conflict.