Are Brown and Tatum avoiding each other? Video goes viral

Jaylen Brown’s first return to Boston since the summer trade did not go unnoticed. The former Celtic was at TD Garden with the Philadelphia 76ers for the Preseason game, but he did not play and did not even sit on the bench. What really got people talking, however, was what happened before the game.

During warmups, Brown and Jayson Tatum were caught on camera seemingly avoiding each other, without even exchanging a greeting. The moment immediately went viral on social media, fueling speculation about possible tension between the two former teammates.

Brown was at the arena as expected, but he was not seen during the game either, which the Sixers lost 144-106. It is unclear where he watched the game from, and while some speculated that he preferred to remain in the locker room to avoid encounters with his former teammates, there is no confirmation of that account.

After all, this could hardly have felt like an ordinary return for Brown. After spending his entire NBA career in Boston and winning a championship as Finals MVP, he was traded to Philadelphia over the summer in the deal that sent Paul George to the Celtics.

To see Brown face his former team, fans will have to wait until November 10, when Boston visits the Sixers. His true return to TD Garden, this time in the Regular Season, is scheduled for January 21, 2027.