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ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 17: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts after drawing a foul on a basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on January 17, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.

All-Star wing Jaylen Brown suffered a first-round playoff exit for the first time in his career on Saturday (he was sidelined with an injury when the Boston Celtics lost in the opening round to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021).

Despite the early exit, Brown called the 2025-26 campaign “the favorite year” of his 10-year career on his Twitch stream on Sunday.

“I’m so proud of this group and the way we played,” Brown said after the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. “I wish we trusted that style of play a little bit more, but I know the playoffs kind of shifted our rotations and what we wanted to do.

“But I am so proud, and it was my favorite year of my basketball career.”

The comments irked many fans and analysts, considering that Brown won NBA Finals MVP just two years ago while helping the Celtics raise Banner No. 18.

Jaylen Brown Faces Backlash

Below are reactions from notable Celtics fans and analysts on X:

RBT Collection: “Jaylen Brown I love you. But to say that your favorite season of all time is the one where your co star missed 65 games and then blew a 3-1 lead in the 1st round rather than the one where you won ECF MVP, FMVP, and a championship is so cringe.”

Dave Portnoy: “As a fan you certainly don’t want to hear ‘this was my favorite year ever,’ when you just blew a 3-1 lead to the Sixers… [but] I’m not gonna lose sleep over that, he played his guts out for the team.”

Polymarket Hoops: “Jaylen Brown says this was his favorite season he’s ever had 😳 …He won 64 games, a Championship, and Finals MVP just two seasons prior.”

Hater Report: “Jaylen Brown basically just said that being the # 1 option on the Celtics was more fun than winning a championship and Finals MVP 😭😭”

SLO Hoops Fan: “I lost all respect for Jaylen Brown. You wanted to be the first option, you talked big all season, then you proceed to choke a 3-1 lead and keep crashing out on stream the day after. Absolutely embarrassing.”

N-Jay: “I mean who am I to disagree with his opinion but I find it funny that his favorite year was the one he finally got to play first option hoops despite us getting embarrassed in the first round over the year we actually won the chip but hey lol.”

Jaylen Brown Deserves Grace

Brown’s comments were rooted in the fact that he was the go-to option for the Celtics in the first 62 games of the regular season with Jayson Tatum sidelined. Many expected the C’s to endure a gap year after Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon in the playoffs last season, with some imploring the franchise to tank for a high lottery pick. However, Brown flipped the script and ensured the Celtics remained a powerhouse in the East.

Surely, team success should take precedence over individual milestones, but Brown’s career-best season helped the Celtics win 56 games. As such, it’s not like he put up empty numbers. He averaged career-highs in points (28.7), rebounds (6.9) and assists (5.1) and was the driving force behind Boston clinching the No. 2 seed.

One fan defended Brown’s comments.

“Bro people are so Toxic; it’s his favorite because he got to mentor a zero expectations squad full of unproven/unsigned bench players during a “gap year” and managed to help push to 56 wins,” wrote Scotty K.

“He was active and a stand up leader. It has nothing to do w/ Tatum.”