Takeaways on Jaylen Brown’s introductory Sixers press conference originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A little over a month since the Sixers shook up the NBA summer by trading for him, Jaylen Brown held his first press conference in Philadelphia.
Advertisement
Here’s what stood out from Brown‘s introductory press conference Thursday:
The shock factor
How did Brown initially react to the news of the trade?
“When I first (learned) I got traded, I just threw my phone across the room,” he said with a laugh.
Multiple Sixers soon reached out to Brown and welcomed him aboard, including Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid. Still, on a day that included posing for photos with his No. 7 Sixers jersey and throwing out the first pitch at the Phillies game, Brown acknowledged his new reality hasn’t entirely sunk in yet.
“There’s been a lot of emotions,” he said. “It’s been a process. To be honest, I’m still processing to some degree. One, the excitement of coming to a new city, new place, new expectations, new energy. And then also leaving somewhere that you’ve been for a very, very long time.
Advertisement
“I’ve been in Boston for 10 years. I’m 29 years old, so I was there a third of my life. I met some lifelong friends, some people that I’ll still be connected to. … It’s just a process. Just like everybody else has to deal with certain things, it’s no different. It’s just been public; that’s the only difference.”
Focused on winning and work
Brown was crystal clear about his priorities.
Details will matter for the Sixers’ dramatically revamped roster, but the five-time All-Star wing’s drive to win is simple.
“I’m not sure completely yet,” Brown said when asked where he envisions himself most helping the Sixers. “I think we’ll figure it out as time goes on. … But I’m excited to just be myself. That’s one thing I can promise the city, the organization and the coaching staff, that I’m going to come in every single day and be myself. Put my best foot forward, lead with my integrity, lead with my mentality and lead with my capacity and my will to win.
Advertisement
“So we’ll figure out the X’s and O’s, the ins and outs, but winning is the agenda. That’s the first thing that’s on my mind.”
Brown’s new teammates certainly won’t be strangers at training camp.
“We talk damn near every day almost,” he said. “We’ve got group chats, multiple now, and we’re all trying to figure this thing out. LeBron (James), he’s active in the group chat. We’re just all trying to get on the same page. I think everybody knows how incredible the opportunity that we have is, but we’ve also got to put in the work. My focus is on that — putting in the work, earning the respect from the city, from the coaching staff.
“Everything will take time. I understand how that process of winning works. You’ve got to build from the foundation and build up. You can’t skip steps. So we’re not skipping (any) steps. We’re starting early.”
Advertisement
No pretending time with Celtics ended on pleasant note
While Brown opted against going into great depth on the final stages of his Celtics tenure, he didn’t act as if the parties parted on swell terms.
Brown has said he felt disrespected by how the Celtics handled the trade.
“The whole process,” he said Thursday. “But to be honest, my mind is so focused on what’s in front of me. … I’m moving on. Maybe one day you share the details of how everything transpired, all the moving parts that took place in this. Obviously, there’s a lot of speculation. I feel no need to chime in on it because I’m focused on what’s in front of me.”
Advertisement
Brown spoke highly of his decade in Boston and said he was “very grateful for my experience” during formative years in his life.
He was asked about his relationship with former Celtics co-star Jayson Tatum.
“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “Anybody that you won a championship with, you’d think that’s what a brotherhood and a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure. But on my end, there’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based in respect.”
Has Brown talked with Tatum after the trade?
Advertisement
“Not really,” he said.
Responding to all the noise
Brown has not been oblivious to the NBA world’s discourse about his game and personality.
He’s heard plenty of opinions and criticisms about his analytical value, his salary and much more.
“I feel like I’ve dealt with that for a while internally, externally,” Brown said. “I just choose to focus on what I focus on. Obviously, it got to a threshold this offseason that was a little bit higher than what it’s been in the past. I think people attacked my character. Someone even went as far as saying that I had a disease. … But none of it is completely surprising. Some of these things were said externally. Internally, through the organization and stuff like that, there’s been conversations. … It’s just been a crazy process and transition.
Advertisement
“And then obviously, getting traded to the Sixers, somebody that you competed against for the last 10 years, someone that’s been a rival, that was a process, too. So there’s been a lot of stuff. Having to move your family and move places … it has been a lot. But people deal with it every day. People have to change, relocate. I’m not complaining up here. … It is what it is. So let’s get to it.”
Safe to say Brown won’t lack motivation next season.
“I don’t care about the MVP awards, Finals MVP,” he said. “None of that stuff really moves me. It’s nice, but the only thing that’s going to move me is doing something collectively — a championship. That’s what I’m looking forward to, trying to start that journey and building. But all the other stuff that comes with it is just a distraction to me. Whatever it takes on a night-to-night basis. Whatever it takes.”
Centering the community
Brown didn’t pick the standard press conference setting of the Sixers’ training complex in Camden, New Jersey.
Advertisement
He instead chose the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center in Philadelphia. Local kids sporting Jaylen Brown shirseys were among the attendees.
Brown’s done extensive work in the Boston community through his 7uice Foundation, which describes its mission as partnering with “institutions, organizations and social change leaders to bridge the opportunity gap for youth in traditionally underserved communities.”
“For me and for people who know my family and I, we are rooted in the community,” Brown said. “That’s where we hang our hat, being able to affect other people’s lives. I think we’re very blessed. We’ve been able to help our own family and be able to kind of change the course of what our generation or our family name could possibly do. But we look forward to being able to impact others and to touch families and households that we may never get to see.
“Being here at Francis J., as I’m still getting to learn this community, I just wanted to make this an important pillar in my life — the community and the foundation. And as I’m getting started on the journey here in Philadelphia, the introduction, the first impression is everything. I just wanted to let people know here in Philadelphia that this is something that’s important to me. … So I’m happy to be here, and thank you to the community for allowing me to be here and holding my space here. I’m looking forward to learning the community, meeting some like-minded individuals and doing some work. That’s what we’re about.”
