Jaylen Brown had been mostly active throughout LeBron James’ lengthy free agency search, as well as Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. He urged James to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a stream with IShowSpeed, and reports claimed the former Celtic was also trying to recruit the 4-time champ.
Brown posted something right after James’ decision went public. The pair is now set to play together for the first time in Philly in the 2026-27 season.
Jaylen Brown Reacts to LeBron James Signing
Shortly after news broke that James had agreed to a two-year deal with the 76ers, Brown took to X and posted a simple reaction: “#throwtheballup.” The phrase carries extra meaning in Philadelphia, since it is the same line Brown used when he first learned he had been traded to the Sixers earlier this offseason, writing “Philly, throw the ball up, let’s get it!”
— Jaylen Brown (@FCHWPO) July 24, 2026
For context, the phrase ‘Throw the Ball Up’ is a catchphrase among Philly sports fans to hype their favorite teams. But it has certainly been popularized much more after Brown’s post on X.
Brown’s excitement lines up with the recruiting effort he was part of throughout the process. Along with Maxey and Embiid, Brown stayed in regular contact with James as Philadelphia made its pitch.
That effort paid off, with James ultimately choosing Philadelphia over the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, and several other teams that remained in the mix until the final stretch of his decision.
For Brown, the timing could hardly be better. He is entering his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers after being traded from the Boston Celtics. Adding James alongside Embiid and Maxey gives the Sixers a projected starting five that immediately positions them as one of the league’s contenders.
Brown is coming off a career year with the Celtics, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 57.3% from the field, numbers that earned him an All-NBA Second Team selection. To make it more impressive, Brown did this without Jayson Tatum for the majority of the season.
James has officially declared that his priority is to win the league once more. In a lengthy X thread, James detailed that the decision to move to Philly was backed by a strong intention to win a fifth championship ring, and not money. The NBA legend also thanked the Lakers, Heat, and the Cavaliers in the end.
With that said, it would certainly be interesting to see if the Sixers can win the championship for the first time since 1983. They have the roster for it now, surely. But only time will tell if the combo of James, Brown, Embiid, Maxey, and Edgecombe can prove to be what takes the Sixers over the finish line next year.
