
Philadelphia 76ers forward Jaylen Brown had a rollercoaster of an offseason. His life was uprooted when the Boston Celtics sent him to the City of Brotherly Love, a place he’d grown to dislike because of the rivalry with his former team.
Not only did he get shipped to one of his biggest rivals, but he also dealt with an onslaught of media criticism because of his play style and personality. There was an anonymous source who said Brown was the seventh-best player on a team according to analytics despite his MVP-caliber season.
However, one of the most controversial takes came from Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd, who said Brown’s personality and wisdom were seen as a “disease.” The 76ers star directly pushed back on this criticism during his appearance at the team’s media day.
“Colin Cowherd said I had a disease. Or his source said I had a disease. I don’t know what that was about, Brown said.
Brown mentions Colin Cowherd's use of the word "disease" when talking about "concerning," "bizarre" discussions of him with "undertones."
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) September 28, 2026
Brown says he understands the role of anonymous sources in reporting, but there needs to be a "balance."
Before calling out Cowherd directly, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP called the comments “concerning” and “bizarre.” Brown has been misunderstood in the media throughout his career, constantly fighting for social issues and brashly speaking his mind about controversial topics.
While there aren’t many players who carry themselves like the former champion, he got disproportionately attacked in the media and he picked up on it. All the criticisms about his play on the court are fair game, but Brown’s character doesn’t seem to be in question.
He made a terrific impact on the Boston community and has never been in any serious trouble since entering the league a decade ago. He’ll be much more exposed to the media now with forward LeBron James on the team and will have a chance to change his perception.
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