Jaylen Brown Says Goodbye to Boston: “I Went to War for This City”
Hours after news broke that the Boston Celtics had traded him to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft capital, Jaylen Brown addressed the move directly on his Twitch stream, delivering an emotional farewell to the city he called home for a decade.
“I Put My Heart Into This City”
Brown, who was drafted by Boston at 19 and is now 29, reflected on the impact he tried to make off the court as much as on it. He described years spent working with schools, churches, mosques, homeless shelters, and Thanksgiving giveaways, along with rebuilding basketball courts around the city. He said he came to Boston determined to give everything he had to the community, and that he believes he followed through on that promise.
Pushing Back on Media Narratives
Brown also used the moment to criticize reporters and commentators who, in his view, spread unverified claims about him with little accountability. He called out ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, NBA insider Bobby Marks, and radio host Colin Cowherd by name — needling the last one with a nickname, “Colin Coward.” His broader complaint was about anonymous sourcing on stories unrelated to basketball performance, which he argued can unfairly damage a player’s reputation while leaving him no real way to respond through those same platforms.
That frustration, he explained, is exactly why he started streaming in the first place: to control his own narrative instead of leaving it in the hands of media figures with large platforms and, in his view, little regard for accuracy. He framed it as a matter of ethics — arguing that repeating unverified claims and calling it journalism is itself irresponsible — and said streaming lets him speak directly to people so they can think for themselves rather than take secondhand narratives at face value. He noted he only streams an hour or so a week, a small fraction of an athlete’s day, but said he expects to be cast as a “villain” for speaking up regardless. He added that he’s ready to embrace that role heading into the new season.
He also thanked teammates, friends, and public figures who had publicly defended him amid the criticism, naming Boston teammate Jayson Tatum, Isaiah Thomas, and Jalen Rose among those he appreciated for speaking up on his behalf.
A Gift From the Cape Verdean Community
During the stream, Brown was presented with a custom jersey from Boston’s Cape Verdean community ahead of Cape Verde’s match against Argentina. He said he plans to visit Cape Verde soon and thanked the city’s many communities of color — including its Dominican, Brazilian, Haitian, and Puerto Rican communities — for their support throughout his career, pledging continued charitable work and investment going forward.
Looking Ahead to Philadelphia
Brown closed by turning his attention to his new team, addressing 76ers fans directly and signaling he’s ready to get to work in Philadelphia. He also had a message for Boston: despite the trade, he said the bond with the city isn’t going anywhere.