Sport: Basketball Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Jaylen Brown criticizes ESPN, escalates feud with Stephen A. Smith

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 24, 2026, 10:30 PM

Last updated Jun 24, 2026

Jaylen Brown criticizes ESPN, escalates feud with Stephen A. Smith

Summary

Jaylen Brown publicly criticized ESPN and Stephen A. Smith during the Cannes Lions event in France on June 24, 2026. Responding to Smith's recent remarks about Brown's comments regarding the 2025-26 NBA season, Brown called ESPN 'unethical.' He expressed frustration over the network's portrayal of the Celtics following key roster changes. This feud stems from their ongoing disagreement after the Celtics' playoff exit earlier this year, where Smith criticized Brown’s blame on referees for the team's performance. The situation is expected to continue to develop as Smith is scheduled to respond on First Take.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Brown labels ESPN as unethical during Cannes Lions event.
•The feud escalated after Smith's criticism of Brown's comments.
•Brown's frustrations involve recent roster changes for the Celtics.
•Smith is expected to address Brown's remarks on First Take.

Latest Updates

4:21 AMYahoo Sports — Jaylen Brown: 'ESPN is unethical, and Stephen A. Smith is the head face of that'
10:30 PMYahoo Sports — Jaylen Brown calls ESPN ‘unethical,’ takes another shot at Stephen A. Smith

What they're saying

"
The public feud between ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith and Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is showing no signs of slowing down, with Brown again publicly calling out Smith and his employer. Brown made the comments during the annual Cannes Lions powwow in France. He was responding to criticism from Smith after referring to the 2025-26…
— Yahoo Sports