The war of words between Jaylen Brown and Stephen A. Smith continues to escalate.
On Monday, the ESPN commentator fired back at the Boston Celtics guard after he called out his journalistic credentials.
Stephen A. Smith Goes on 7-Minute Rant After Jaylen Brown Diss
The high-profile feud between Brown and Smith began after the Celtics star claimed that this was “favorite season” despite the Celtics blowing a 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia 76ers and getting eliminated in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Now, the feud has escalated over the last 24 hours. On Sunday, Brown claimed on his Twitch stream that Smith doesn’t do “real journalism” and just uses his platform for “clickbait” and spreading false narratives. He didn’t mince words.
“F**k Stephen A,” Brown said.
On Monday, Smith issued his response on ESPN’s “First Take,” going on a seven-minute rant and even calling out Brown’s Twitch setup.
“Get your a** a studio. You looking like you in some dungeon in some little room,” Smith said. “You’re in the midst of a $304 million contract. Get a studio with a director and a producer. The computer ain’t even working right. Can’t even get the full sound up in there. Get that together. Stop being so damn cheap. You got the money. Pay it, okay, for a better production,” he said.
“The season is over bro. You’re on Twitch trying to do what I do.” 🗣️@stephenasmith responds to Jaylen Brown 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PXBNr6Vxu2
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 18, 2026
Smith also threatened to investigate how Brown is truly perceived in the Celtics’ locker room.
“Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for. You really want me to start reporting on that level? You understand? Locker room, how the organization might think about you, how the city may feel about you, how Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you? Sneaker deals, endorsement deals, the list goes on and on,” he added.
It will be interesting to see if Brown responds to Smith’s latest comments. The 29-year-old has been very vocal about a number of topics since the conclusion of the Celtics’ season, igniting controversy with some of his comments and even landing a $50,000 fine from the NBA for his criticism of the referees.
Brown averaged a career-high 28.7 points per game for the Celtics this year as he led the team in the absence of the injured Tatum. However, the 6-foot-6 guard was unable to lead Boston past the 76ers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
