Jaylen Brown is excited for the next chapter of his NBA career for one obvious reason.
“Yo, we got ‘Bron, and what an opportunity that is,” Brown said Monday on a Twitch livestream, during which the All-NBA forward provided his first public remarks on LeBron James’ decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
“Like, obviously, everybody (is) gonna say whatever they want to say, and it’s gonna be a bunch of media this whole entire season,” Brown added. “But like, for me, like, what an opportunity (it) is to learn. I love learning, so to have the opportunity to learn from one of, if not the greatest player of all time.”
Before James joined the team in late July, Brown was the Sixers’ highest-profile acquisition this offseason. In a July 6 deal that sent shockwaves through the NBA, Philadelphia traded Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-rounders to the Boston Celtics for Brown, a five-time All-Star who will turn 30 in October.
Where does the Jaylen Brown trade rank in NBA history?
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During the livestream, Brown alluded to the trade and said he feels more motivated to win than at any point in his career. “I’m more inspired to win than anything,” he said. “‘Cause I felt like I’ve been a little bit disrespected in this process, for whatever reason, from people that I thought valued me and everything that I brought to the team and the city.
“I found out quickly that may or may not be the case, so I want to win more than anything.”
When a commenter on the stream observed that Brown appeared to have lost weight, he shared that he had already shed seven pounds in anticipation of joining a potent transition offense led by James and the 76ers’ dynamic young backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. “Just to be a little bit more fast and nimble,” Brown said. “I gotta keep up with Maxey and Edgecombe and LeBron this year, so I did lose about seven pounds. I feel great. I’m jumping higher, running faster.”
Brown also unboxed and tried on his No. 7 Sixers jersey on the stream.
“I ain’t gonna lie, this is the first-ever jersey in the NBA besides the Boston jersey that I’ve even put on,” Brown said. “Just now, just right now here on chat. I just realized, this is my first time ever in 10 years I’ve been playing in the NBA, wearing another jersey for another team.
“It honestly feels weird, you know what I mean? But it looks fire.”
In Philadelphia, Brown will team with James, Maxey, Edgecombe and Joel Embiid to form one of the NBA’s most talented starting lineups and attempt to snap the Sixers’ 43-year NBA title drought. The 76ers went 45-37 last season, earning the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. They defeated Brown’s Celtics in seven games in the first round but were swept by the New York Knicks in the conference semis.
On Thursday, the Sixers will hold a news conference to introduce Brown as a member of the team, hours before he’s scheduled to throw the first pitch at Citizens Bank Park before the Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals.
