The recent trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the deal for Paul George has reignited speculation about his relationship with Jayson Tatum. Several U.S. reports claimed that the two stars had grown personally distant during their final season together in Boston, suggesting they did not get along off the court.
Former teammate Grant Williams pushed back on that narrative. Speaking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the veteran forward explained that the reality was very different from what had been portrayed in the media.
A lot of the media would rather create a story than talk about what players have accomplished. There was mutual respect, they enjoyed being around each other, and I can say with certainty that there was never any bad blood off the court. They never hated each other
Grant Williams
Williams’ comments echo what Tatum himself said recently, reaffirming his respect for his former teammate – who, for his part, expressed disappointment with the Celtics over the way the trade was handled. Tatum also noted that the enormous expectations placed on the duo from the very beginning helped fuel inaccurate narratives about their relationship.
Selected with the No. 3 overall picks in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Drafts, respectively, Tatum and Brown led the Boston Celtics to the 2024 NBA championship. Although their careers have now taken different paths, their partnership remains one of the defining chapters in recent Celtics history.