Five takeaways from Jaylen Brown’s Sixers introduction, from his visceral trade reaction to his thoughts on the Celtics

Jaylen Brown was officially introduced as a member of the 76ers on Thursday during a news conference at Francis Myers Recreation Center in Southwest Philadelphia.

Brown discussed his reaction to the trade, his thoughts on some his teammates, and more. Here are some quick highlights …

The Sixers trading for Brown was one of the biggest shocks of a shocking NBA offseason, and one of the most unexpected trades in recent NBA history. It wasn’t just shocking for the fans. Even Brown was taken aback by the move.

“When I first got traded, I just threw my phone across the room,” Brown said when asked which new teammate reached out first. “But who was first? It might’ve been Max, I think [Tyrese] Maxey reached out to me first. He reached out and was like, ‘I know it’s a lot of stuff going on right now, but we’re excited to have you.’ Maxey and VJ [Edgecombe] were probably around the same time.”

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Since those first texts, Brown has been in regular contact with his Sixers teammates, including LeBron James.

“We talk damn near every day. We’ve got group chats — multiple now — and we’re all trying to figure this thing out. LeBron, he’s active in the group chats. We’re trying to all get on the same page. I think everybody knows how incredible of an opportunity that we have, but we also have to put in the work.”

On the Celtics side, Brown said he has “not really” spoken to longtime former teammate Jayson Tatum since the trade.

“We won a championship together,” Brown said. “Anybody that you win a championship [with], you would think that’s what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship, for sure, but on my end, it’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well, but other than that everything for me is just based in respect.”

Despite saying on his Twitch stream that he’d been “packed up” by Boston, Brown said he was ready to move forward after the trade.

“I look back at Boston and I’m grateful,” Brown said. “A lot of my most developmental years were in Boston. The relationships are still there, so are the connections. I’m very grateful for my 10 years in Boston. I have nothing but respect for Boston, but it’s time to move forward.”

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The Sixers had a massive offseason under new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey and are suddenly among the favorites to win the Eastern Conference, but Brown isn’t looking that far down the road.

“On paper, we’re excellent … On paper, it doesn’t really mean nothing … We look great, but let’s all slow down,” Brown said. “It takes real work every single day in order to make something like this happen. We do that, we’ll be where we want to be.”

He also isn’t concerned about what role he needs to play to get there.

“My focus is winning, whatever it takes,” Brown added. “At this point in my career, nothing else matters. I don’t care about the awards, the only thing that moves me is a championship.”

As for his off-court role, Brown said he didn’t necessarily see himself as a mentor, but shared that he picked up a lot from the veterans in his early years in Boston and hopes he can provide the same for Edgecombe.

“I think VJ’s in a similar situation that I was a few years ago, when we had some of those rosters that were stacked with a decent amount of talent. I looked at it as a learning opportunity,” he said. “Some of those moments that I learned from back then, with the players I played with, some of that stuff I benefited from later in my career, because I took the time to learn, and talk to, and watch their workouts and see their mentality and their approach, take things they do well and add it to my game.

“I’ll be in VJ’s ear to help him learn and grow. He’s 21, just turned 21, he’s got a bright future, and this will be great opportunity for him to learn from a bunch of guys. His talent level, he’s going to carve out space for himself because of his talent level alone, so I’m excited for VJ. I’m a fan. He killed us in that series. The other guys, we knew about, but he was a difference-maker in that series. I’m a fan from afar for sure.”

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There was a reason Brown hosted his introductory news conference at the Francis Myers Rec Center instead of the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden. Local kids were on-site wearing new Sixers shirseys with Brown’s No. 7 on them.

Brown explained why he wanted his first appearance as a Sixers to be out in the community.

“My family and I, we are rooted in the community. That’s where we hang our hat, is being able to affect other people’s lives. We’re very blessed, we’ve been able to help our own family and been able to change the course of what our generation and our family name can possibly do, but we look forward to being able to impact others and being able to touch families and households that we may never get to see.

“As I’m still getting to learn this community, I just wanted to make it clear that this was an important pillar in my life, community and the foundation. As I’m getting started on the journey here in Philadelphia, the introduction, the first impression is everything. I just wanted to let people know in Philadelphia that this is something that’s important to me.”