Brown and Tatum: what’s going on between them?
There’s no feud between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, at least according to the Sixers player. But one remark about his former teammate hasn’t gone unnoticed
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum continue to make headlines even after their partnership with the Boston Celtics ended. Both former teammates insist there are no personal issues, but between public comments and social media responses, there still appears to be something to clear up.
Brown was the latest to weigh in after scoring 27 points in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 127-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, a victory that moved the Sixers to 3-0 to start the season.
Asked about his relationship with Tatum, Brown played down rumors of a possible rift, although part of his answer didn’t go unnoticed.
Jayson’s a great person, he has a beautiful family, he’s a tremendous player and he has an incredible PR team. There’s no feud
Jaylen Brown
Brown and Tatum: it all started with an emoji
The situation began a few days earlier, when Tatum said he had been caught completely off guard by his former teammate’s trade, just like everyone else.
That account evidently didn’t convince Brown. The new Sixers player responded on social media with a cap emoji, used in American slang to suggest someone isn’t telling the truth.
Asked to explain the gesture, Brown declined to elaborate.
Tatum, for his part, had already addressed his relationship with his former teammate, denying any hard feelings and leaving the door open to a conversation.
There are no hard feelings. I understand drama generates clicks and views, but that’s not what I’m interested in. Everyone is entitled to their feelings
Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown: “We each have to focus on our own team”
Despite the conciliatory words, Brown doesn’t appear to be in any particular hurry to address the matter directly with Tatum.
He has to do what his team needs, and I have to do the same for mine
Jaylen Brown
That response neatly captures the players’ new reality, with each now on a completely different path.
They spent nine seasons together with the Boston Celtics, ultimately winning the NBA championship in 2024, when Brown was named Finals MVP.
The split came after a season in which Brown had taken on even more responsibility, using Tatum’s lengthy absence to reaffirm his status as one of the team’s primary options.
Now one remains in Boston, while the other has begun a new chapter in Philadelphia. Both maintain there are no issues, even as occasional jabs continue to surface in their comments.