Jaylen Brown Drops Viral Quote on Facing Celtics for 1st Time Since Blockbuster 76ers Trade

Philadelphia 76ers star Jaylen Brown discussed how he feels heading into a matchup with the Boston Celtics, his former team, after experiencing a change of scenery in the offseason.

"It's just life," Brown said on a live stream. "It's like running into your ex out in public like, 'Dang, we used to go together.' And you just look at them and be like, 'Dang.' You just gotta go about your business."

On July 1, the Celtics traded Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round draft picks and two second-round picks.

Boston and Philadelphia are set to face off in a preseason clash on Saturday.

Brown spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Celtics after they selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft.

He steadily blossomed into a top offensive option for Boston, earning five All-Star nods and two All-NBA selections throughout his tenure as a member of the organization.

Brown also helped the Celtics win the 2024 NBA Finals, earning Finals MVP honors for his efforts.

He became Boston's leading scorer during its 2025-26 campaign while Jayson Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles, averaging a career-high 28.7 points per game on 47.7/34.7/79.5 shooting splits.

After the Celtics suffered a first-round exit in the playoffs, they reportedly offered Brown in trade packages for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After the Milwaukee Bucks ultimately sent Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat, Boston started to field offers for Brown from other teams.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Brown never requested a trade before he was dealt to the 76ers.

Now, the 29-year-old is set to return to TD Garden for the first time since the swap. Tip-off between the Celtics and 76ers on Saturday is at 8 p.m. ET.