Stephen A. Smith and Jaylen Brown have been beefing for quite some time now after SAS's comments on ESPN's First Take.
Smith said that a source told him that Brown's attitude has negatively affected his marketability, which has caused him to be underappreciated and often overlooked. JB dared Stephen to name his source, and after the ESPN analyst refused, Jaylen wore a 'State your source' shirt during the Boston Celtics' victory parade.
But just as we thought Jaylen had the last laugh in this argument, Stephen A. clapped back after USA Basketball selected Derrick White to replace Kawhi Leonard instead of JB.
Stephen A.'s source said Jaylen has an attitude problem
It was at the height of Boston's Eastern Conference Finals triumph over the Indiana Pacers when Smith read out a text message purportedly sent to him by a reliable NBA source. The text explained why Brown isn't getting the superstar treatment that he deserves.
"It's not so much that he's underrated; it's that he's just not liked because of his 'I am better than you' attitude," Smith read the message on his phone. "He knows it. It's the same reason he is not as marketable as he should be. That's what an NBA source just sent me," SAS said .
Although the ESPN analyst clarified that he didn't necessarily agree with the source's statement, he earned the ire of Boston fans. Jaylen himself challenged Stephen A. to name his source but after Smith refused to get into it, Brown trolled him with the parade t-shirt.
Related: "Young fella, you alright. Go sit back down. You good" - Jayson Tatum shares what Michael Jordan told him after a wine accident
Brown blames Nike for Team USA snub
On Wednesday, Brown was snubbed by USA Basketball after Kawhi withdrew from Team USA. Instead of going with the 2024 NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals MVP winner, the committee decided to pick Jaylen's Celtics teammate, D-White, as Kawhi's replacement, causing JB to react. Meanwhile, USAB Director Grant Hill defended their choice .
"He is someone who is accustomed to playing alongside great players. He plays with two great young stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown," reasoned Hill. "So he knows how to be a complimentary piece but also stand out in his role. And so, obviously, we have tremendous star power on this team. But he's a guy that whether he sits for two games or he plays in the fourth quarter, he's going to have a great attitude, he's going to be Derrick White."
Whether it's Nike or his attitude, as Smith reported, what happened was not just a snub. Brown was the best player for the Celtics during their championship run. But not only has USAB taken Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday ahead of him, but they've also picked White over JB. Doesn't this look more like a direct insult?
Related: “He is not the best player in the postseason” - Stephen A. Smith picks Jaylen Brown as the more influential player over Jayson Tatum for the Boston Celtics
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