Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown continued his public feud with ESPN host Stephen A. Smith during a recent Twitch stream, calling on the commentator to retire.
On Sunday (May 17), Brown responded to a video of Smith on a May 7 episode of First Take, where he questioned Brown’s recent comments, calling the 2025–26 season his “favorite” and asking why teammate Jayson Tatum had not appeared on his stream.
“What type of journalism is this?” Brown asked. “Jayson Tatum hasn’t been on my stream, and this is what we’re talking about on First Take? What if J.T. just doesn’t like being somewhere in an uncontrolled environment? Why are you doing journalism on me having guests on my stream?”
The feud began earlier this month after Brown described the Celtics’ 2025–26 season as his “favorite” during a Twitch livestream following the team’s playoff elimination.
Brown made the comments after the Celtics lost their first-round playoff series to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Jayson Tatum missed the deciding game with a leg injury.
Smith addressed Brown’s comments on ESPN’s First Take on May 7, questioning both Brown’s remarks and why Tatum had not appeared on his stream.
“The first order of business is that he needs to be quiet, and like [Kendrick Perkins] said, go on vacation unless you’re trying to get traded,” Smith said.
Brown responded on Sunday, saying he would only “be quiet” and stop streaming if Smith retired.
Brown said Smith was creating “narratives” around his comments and clarified that calling the season his “favorite” was about watching the team overcome adversity — not about his personal performance.
“This is why, respectfully, a lot of people say f**k Stephen A,” he said. “Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C. Like my offer still stands: You want me to be quiet and stop streaming, well, I want you to be quiet and get off these networks. Because you’re not using your platform to do real journalism.”
Smith responded to Brown's comments on ESPN on Monday (May 18)
“Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for," he said. "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. The season is over bro. You’re on twitch trying to do what I do.”
The Black Information Network is your source for Black News! Get the latest news 24/7 on The Black Information Network. Listen now on the iHeartRadio app or click HERE to tune in live.