With LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers have brought together two of the NBA’s biggest names. However, a scene from the 2024 Summer League continues to be a topic of conversation.
James has joined the Philadelphia 76ers, where he’ll be playing alongside Jaylen Brown, whom the franchise previously acquired via trade from the Boston Celtics. On the court, the duo—along with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey—makes the Sixers a title contender; off the court, however, an old issue could cause some tension early on.
During a Lakers Summer League game in 2024, Brown appeared to say in a private conversation on the sidelines that he didn’t consider Bronny James to be an NBA player. The statement couldn’t be heard over the broadcast audio but was picked up by lip-readers and quickly spread on social media.
Remember when Jaylen Brown said Bronny isn&39;t a pro
Yeah, he&39;s on the same team as his father now. pic.twitter.com/DwPAnnZeNm
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) July 24, 2026
Even nearly two years later, LeBron hadn’t forgotten the incident. In February, he described his relationship with Brown as “pretty respectful,” but added with a smile, “Aside from the crap he said about Bronny in the Summer League.” Other than that, though, the two generally got along well.
LeBron James told @ RealBobManning that he and Jaylen Brown have had a respectful relationship: “Besides the s*** he said about Bronny.” @CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/ZY3UeugRy2
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) February 23, 2026
No hard feelings? LeBron and Brown look to the future
James had already made it clear this season that he harbors no lasting grudge against his new teammate. LeBron publicly praised Brown’s performance during the 2025–26 season and stated that he didn’t understand why the then-Celtics star was barely considered in the MVP discussion. Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists for Boston.
Brown’s initial reaction to LeBron’s move also doesn’t suggest any simmering conflict. Shortly after the announcement, he posted his now-famous four-word phrase, “Throw the ball up,” on X. In Philadelphia, both players appear to be focused on their shared goal: winning the Sixers’ first championship since 1983.
What will happen to Bronny?
Meanwhile, Bronny is not expected to follow his father to Philadelphia. According to ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne, agent Rich Paul stated that father and son are “not a package deal” and that there is currently neither a plan nor a request for the 21-year-old to move. The Lakers have guaranteed Bronny’s salary of over $2.3 million for the upcoming season and apparently intend to continue developing him.
