Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown and ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith indulged in a war of words following the forward’s exclusion from the Team USA roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics and have been at loggerheads since. However, the reigning Finals MVP is willing to address the issues face-to-face with the media veteran.
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During Brown’s appearance on the YouTube talk show Hot Ones, host Sean Evans asked the forward about him wearing a t-shirt that read ‘State Your Source’ during the Celtics’ championship parade, a diss aimed at Smith. The three-time All-Star admitted he’s guilty of being unreceptive to the media and plans on changing that. He said,
“I look forward to clearing up some misconceptions and addressing some things in the past. Maybe me and Stephen A. Smith will have a sit down at some point and hash things out.”
The beef between Smith and Brown began in May 2024 after the analyst claimed on ESPN’s First Take that a source told him that the Celtics forward is “not liked because of his I-am-better-than-you attitude,” making him “not as marketable as he should be.” The Finals MVP responded to Smith on X, asking him to disclose his source.
State your source https://t.co/7ay3dXr6YN
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) May 26, 2024
The three-time All-Star stirred the pot further during the Celtics’ championship parade.
Jaylen Brown rocking the “State your source” shirt pic.twitter.com/IInrOMp2NC
— Halftime Hoops (@_halftimehoops) June 21, 2024
Although it seemed there was animosity between the two, Brown is keen on changing that. He told Evans that he let narratives about him go unchecked rather than addressing them but plans on changing his approach. He said,
“I don’t really do too many podcasts, too many talking interviews, I rarely do them. Some of the narratives kind of float and I allow them to float.”
Smith will likely pounce at the opportunity to have a conversation with the Celtics superstar and talk about their issues.
