'He's Not Liked': What Stephen A. Smith Really Said About Jaylen Brown — and How Brown Hit Back

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The Stephen A. Smith vs Jaylen Brown feud just hit its boiling point. Hours after the Boston Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and four draft picks, the ESPN star doubled down on the take that started it all: "He's not liked." Brown, meanwhile, has spent weeks torching Smith on Twitch and calling ESPN "unethical." Here is exactly what was said, by whom, and how it escalated into one of the messiest media-vs-athlete beefs in recent NBA history.

What Did Stephen A. Smith Say About Jaylen Brown?

After the trade went down, Smith took a victory lap on his Straight Shooter podcast. "I was not wrong when I said a couple of years ago, when he wore them shirts talking about state your source, because I said, yo, he's not liked," Smith said, per Yahoo Sports.

Smith insisted his point was never about Brown's game — it was about his standing inside the league. "He's smart, he's accomplished, he doesn't suffer fools easily, and he's not to be manipulated. He's his own man," Smith said, before adding the twist: "Madison Avenue, figuratively speaking, doesn't like that."

As receipts, Smith pointed to Brown launching his own 741 sneaker brand after bypassing the traditional endorsement route, and Brown being left off the Team USA Olympic roster while teammates Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday all made it.

It wasn't all shade. Smith also offered a nod to Brown's new chapter: "Congratulations to Jaylen Brown... You have made things very interesting in the Eastern Conference." Bleacher Report even ran a segment of Smith "revisiting the criticism" and praising Brown after the deal. But earlier in the feud, Smith was far harsher — at one point saying Brown was "so full of s--t" amid the trade rumors, per Bleacher Report, and calling Brown's complaints about ESPN "really pathetic" and "soft" on First Take.

How Did Jaylen Brown Respond? The Full Exchange

Brown did not hold back. During a May Twitch stream, he went off: "Man, f— Stephen A. Stephen A, Stephen B, Stephen C. 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."

That "offer" traces back to May 7, when Smith told Brown on First Take to "be quiet... unless he wants to get traded." Brown fired back on X: "I'll 'be quiet' / stop streaming if you 'be quiet' and retire."

Then in late June, speaking at an event abroad, Brown escalated to the whole network — calling ESPN "unethical," per USA Today and Boston.com. He also challenged Smith to a live debate at Harvard or MIT on "traditional media versus athletes," saying, "let's see who comes out on top." Smith declined the framing and fired back on First Take, asking "What did we do to Jaylen Brown?" and claiming Brown went overseas "spewing that nonsense because we're all tired of hearing from him here."

The Stephen A. Smith–Jaylen Brown Beef: Timeline

• May 2: Celtics blow a 3-1 lead and lose Game 7 to the 76ers. Brown scores 33, then blames the officiating — Smith rips him for it.
• May 3: Brown calls 2025-26 his "favorite season" of his career — over Boston's championship year. Smith calls the comments nonsense.
• May 7: Smith's "be quiet... unless he wants to get traded" warning on First Take; Brown's "retire" clapback on X.
• May 17: Brown on Twitch: "What type of journalism is this?... F*** Stephen A," accusing Smith of clickbait over journalism.
• June 22-23: Boston reportedly offers Brown plus two first-round picks for Giannis Antetokounmpo — Miami wins that race instead, per Boston.com.
• June 24: Brown calls ESPN "unethical"; Celtics boss Brad Stevens declines to guarantee Brown's future.
• July 1: The Celtics trade Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Notably, Brown never requested the trade.
• July 2: Smith doubles down: "He's not liked."

Did Stephen A. Smith Ever Play in the NBA?

No. Stephen A. Smith never played in the NBA — a fact Brown's supporters keep raising in the "athletes vs media" argument. Smith played college basketball at Winston-Salem State University, a Division II school, on a basketball scholarship under legendary Hall of Fame coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines. His playing career ended there; he built his fame as a journalist and commentator, becoming ESPN's highest-profile (and reportedly highest-paid) personality via First Take.

That's precisely the fault line in this beef: Brown, an All-Star and 2024 NBA Finals MVP, argues players shouldn't have their reputations shaped by media figures who never played at the highest level. Smith argues that reporting on a player's league-wide reputation is the job.

What Happens Now After the Celtics-76ers Trade?

Brown lands in Philadelphia — the very team that just eliminated Boston — while Paul George heads to the Celtics. The Boston Globe called it "40 cents on the dollar" and one of the worst trades in Boston sports history. Smith, for his part, says Brown has "made things very interesting in the Eastern Conference."

The beef itself? Brown's Harvard/MIT debate challenge is still on the table, and Smith is still talking. With Brown now on a contender in ESPN's biggest East market, expect round two the moment 76ers-Celtics tips off next season. This is the same chaotic offseason that has already seen LeBron James leave the Lakers for the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga hit free agency.

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