Jaylen Brown Tells Stephen A. Smith to Retire

The NBA playoffs are must-watch TV, and despite the Boston Celtics having been eliminated some weeks ago, forward Jaylen Brown is still making headlines. 

During a Twitch stream Sunday night, Brown called out ESPN’s golden boy and highest-paid analyst, Stephen A. Smith, calling him “the face of clickbait media,” adding that he needs to retire. The two have been at it for a minute, and apparently it all began after Smith criticized Brown for claiming that this past season was his favorite of his career ( a season in which Brown lead the team as his all-star teammate Jayson Tatum missed most of the year with an injury.) 

“Tell this motherf-cker to retire because he’s the face of clickbait media,” Brown said Sunday night, Newsweek. “With his retirement, we can spark a movement to get the rest of these motherf-ckers out. Have some type of integrity in order to hold themselves accountable to the bullsh-t takes they put out.”

On Monday’s episode of First Take, Smith did his usual grandstanding with vague threats, warning Brown to “be careful what you wish for.”

“Jaylen Brown, be careful what you wish for. You really want me to start reporting on that level?” Smith said. “Locker room, how the organization might think about you, how the city may feel about you, how Jayson Tatum may or may not feel about you, sneaker deals, endorsement deals, the list goes on and on. The season is over, bro. You’re on Twitch trying to do what I do.”

Kendrick Perkins, a former Celtics player and current analyst, joined the fray, claiming that Boston players who didn’t agree with Brown’s comments have been reaching out to him.

“I get another text that says, ‘Hey, JB trippin.’ Another text from a former Celtics player that said ‘JB, lack of accountability,’” Perkins said, Newsweek reports. “JB, guess what? It’s a lot of people in the organization, a lot of former players, legends, that don’t agree with you bro. This instance, I can’t rock with you, JB. Guess what? There’s a lot of former Celtic players that’s not rocking with you either.”

See social media’s reaction to Perk joining the beef below.