Jaylen Brown insists ‘winning is the agenda’ as he joins star-studded Sixers
Brown proclaimed that, “on paper,” these Sixers boast “excellent” talent but cautioned that those names “don’t really mean nothing” when it comes to on-court success.
Jaylen Brown sat immersed in his new basketball community Thursday afternoon, ready to move forward.
The All-NBA wing had stepped inside the Francis J. Myers Recreation Center’s gymnasium in Southwest Philly. An absence of air-conditioning in early August did not prevent kids wearing blue T-shirt jerseys — with Brown and the No. 7 on the back — from creating a human tunnel to welcome the 76ers’ star. Mike Gansey, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations, marveled at the scene, saying, “This is Jaylen Brown right there, man. … This is a special, special day to be a Seventy-Sixer.”
It was Brown’s official introduction to Philly after last month’s blockbuster trade from the rival Boston Celtics, part of the Sixers’ stunning and swift roster revamp that also lured the legendary LeBron James and fortified the bench.
Brown proclaimed that, “on paper,” these new-look Sixers boast “excellent” talent but cautioned that those names “don’t really mean nothing” when it comes to future on-court success. The 29-year-old also shrugged off a question about if there are enough touches to go around on a roster now full of high-usage stars, and acknowledged he is “not sure completely yet” what these Sixers will need most from him.
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So his initial focus is on winning — and to “just be myself.”
“That’s one thing that I can promise this city, the organization, and the coaching staff,” Brown said during his news conference, “that I’m going to come in every single day and be myself. Put my best foot forward. Lead with my integrity, lead with my mentality, and lead with my capacity and my will to win.
“We’ll figure out the Xs and Os and the ins and outs. But winning is the agenda, so that’s the first thing that’s on my mind.”
Inquiries are valid about where Brown envisions his fit on a roster that also features All-NBA guard Tyrese Maxey, former NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid, and second-year standout guard VJ Edgecombe.
Brown is coming off the best individual season of his career, when he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists and finished sixth in MVP voting. Brown also publicly called it his “favorite season” on more than one occasion, because he was the unquestioned top offensive option while fellow superstar wing Jayson Tatum recovered from Achilles surgery and helped a Celtics team that many outsiders had written off finish second in the Eastern Conference’s regular-season standings.
That will not be the case on these Sixers now expected to legitimately chase a title in a deep Eastern Conference headlined by the defending-champion New York Knicks. Sacrifice, transparency, and communication between those stars will be critical, Brown said Thursday.
In turn, Brown vowed to earn the “trust and respect” of his new teammates. He is excited to learn from James, an all-time great and four-time champion. Those two premier newcomers are already in multiple group chats with the established Sixers, which Brown said are active “damn near every day.” Reserve forwards Dominick Barlow and Jabari Walker were in attendance at Thursday’s news conference.
“I don’t care about the MVP award or the Finals MVP,” Brown said. “None of that stuff really moves me. It’s nice, but the only thing that’s going to move me is doing something collectively, so a championship.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to, trying to start that journey and building toward [it].”
Brown reflected fondly on his 10 seasons in Boston, where he spent one-third of his life and became a five-time All-Star and Finals MVP. He declined to fully rehash his messy and public departure — when his game and personality were heavily scrutinized by professional and social-media pundits — though acknowledged he is still processing “to some degree” the emotions of such a jarring professional and personal change.
“It’s been a crazy transition,” Brown said. “ … It has been a lot.”
But now Brown has officially begun immersing himself in his new basketball community. After his afternoon rec center visit, he headed to Citizens Bank Park to throw out the first pitch of the Phillies-Nationals game. Sixers training camp begins in less than eight weeks.
He sees the same impressive roster that has vaulted his new team into contender status. He also recognizes that a list of names and past individual accomplishments are not guaranteed to translate to the court.
So he will start his Sixers tenure by prioritizing winning, and being himself.
“Obviously, on paper, we look great,” Brown said. “But let’s all slow down. It takes real work every single day in order to make something like this happen. …
“I’m looking forward to doing whatever it is I need to do, whoever I need to talk to, to make sure that we’re on the same page and everybody’s focused on the same thing. If we do that, then we’ll be where we want to be.”
Purchase a front page reprint of The Philadelphia Inquirer from Saturday, July 25, 2026, featuring LeBron James following the news that he was joining the 76ers. Buy it here.
