Jaylen Brown sat down with reporters Thursday for the first time as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. The five time All-Star and 2024 Finals MVP spoke about the July 1 trade that sent him from the Boston Celtics to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George and draft picks.
Brown described his initial reaction to the news. “When I first learned I got traded, I just threw my phone across the room,” he said with a laugh. He added that he is still processing the move after spending 10 years in Boston, a period that covered a third of his life. “There’s been a lot of emotions. 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.”
The press conference took place at the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center in West Philadelphia rather than the team’s usual practice facility. Dozens of children attended. Brown greeted fans and interacted with the young people present before answering questions.
Brown joins a roster that includes LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. He made clear that individual roles matter less than collective success. “It doesn’t have to be anybody’s team,” Brown said. “We have to be a team of respect. I’m about winning. I want to come in and do whatever it takes to win.” He noted that talent alone is not enough. “Obviously on paper we’re excellent. But I’ve been around long enough to know that just what you have on paper don’t really mean nothing.”
Brown said he has been in contact with Maxey, Embiid and others since the trade. He expressed interest in learning from James. “I’m looking forward to learning from LeBron. I’m looking forward to learning from all these guys.” On his former teammate Jayson Tatum, Brown spoke of mutual respect from their championship run together but said the two had not spoken much since the deal.
Brown emphasized that the work has already started. He said his focus in practices, meetings and film sessions will center on finding ways to win each night. The 76ers and Brown now turn toward preparing for the upcoming season with a new group of players in Philadelphia.
