Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown is not letting his feud with ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith fade anytime soon. During a recent livestream, Brown hit back at Smith’s criticisms by directly targeting his journalistic credentials.
This to-and-fro began after Boston suffered a shocking first-round playoff exit. The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers, culminating in a Game 7 collapse on their home floor.
Jaylen Brown Calls Out Stephen A. Smith’s Journalism Credentials
Instead of retreating from the public eye after the exit, Brown went live on Twitch. He directed harsh accusations against NBA officials, earning a $50,000 fine for claiming they had a personal agenda against him.
Brown also called out Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid for flopping and surprisingly described the 2025-26 campaign as his favorite season of his career.
That specific remark triggered a wave of backlash, led by Smith.
Slamming the idea that a year defined by Jayson Tatum recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon could be considered a favorite, Smith suggested Brown stay quiet unless he wanted a trade out of Boston.
Brown then issued a blunt ultimatum via his stream, taking another shot at Smith.
“F**k Stephen A. Stephen A., Stephen B., Stephen C. Like, my offer still stands. You want me to be quiet and stop streaming,” Brown continued. “Well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks. Because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism. You’re using your platform to do clickbait.”
Jaylen Brown GOES OFF on Stephen A. Smith 😳
“F*ck Stephen A… You want me to be quiet and stop streaming. I want you to be quiet and get off these networks. You’re not using your platform to do real journalism,”
(via @FCHWPO/ Twitch) pic.twitter.com/N6Fak8rMto
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 18, 2026
This dramatic wave of jibes arrives on the heels of an incredibly frustrating season for Boston. The franchise entered the postseason with championship aspirations despite facing roster difficulties all year.
Tatum missed 10 months of action after tearing his Achilles tendon against the New York Knicks in May 2025.
Despite making his return in early March, Tatum missed the decisive Game 7 due to left knee stiffness and watched on as the Celtics’ offense completely unraveled against the 76ers.
Boston shot a dismal 13-for-49 from beyond the arc as Brown’s 33-point, 9-rebound effort was not enough to drag the Celtics out of a 4-3 elimination.
The five-time All-Star averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 71 games during the regular season, and 25.7 points and 5.7 rebounds during the playoffs.
However, the series of controversial takes following a heartbreaking collapse against the 76ers did not help his case.
As for the Celtics’ front office, deeming the offseason “difficult” would be an understatement, as the franchise seeks to douse the disappointment of Boston’s fans and make major roster decisions.
