LeBron James was a late scratch from the NBA All-Star Game last night due to a sprained toe or minor labia pull or something like that. He still visited his fellow All-Stars prior to the game in their locker room and recreated the classic Key and Peele Obama skit with Jaylen Brown getting the less friendly greeting. Here's the NBA's video
So why did Jaylen Brown get the much less enthusiastic handshake greeting while the other stars got the full dap/hug welcome? Could very well be much about nothing or it could be some bad blood left over from when Jaylen was caught on camera this summer more or less opining that James' son Bronny was in the league due to nepotism and his father's influence.
Like we said, it could be nothing, or it could be a parent holding a beef over any criticism of their child which happens all the time everywhere. Or maybe there is some other static between the two? One thing is for sure, you can't really get the answer by asking either LeBron or Jaylen since neither is going to answer that question truthfully and deal with the can of worms that opens up.
Jaylen Brown was none too happy when talking head Stephen A. Smith back in May claimed that an unnamed source texted him to tell him that Brown was “not liked because of his 'I am better than you' attitude,” and that's why he's "not as marketable as he should be.” Brown went on to win a championship a month later and was named Finals MVP.
This summer Jaylen had unkind words to say about Nike, who James has a lucrative deal with, when Derrick White was chosen as an injury replacement for Team USA and not Brown. Not sure if we ever got LeBron's thoughts on that pick. The video from last night seems also carefully edited by the NBA as you can see it jumps from the Jaylen/LeBron handshake to James with Kyrie Irving. Make of that jump what you will.
For what its worth I don't think Jaylen Brown in unpopular with his peers, the media, or fans. He was voted All-NBA by the media in 2023 which knocked his max contract into a super max one and there's his aforementioned postseason hardware. Celtics fans have been militant in their defense on X whenever Jaylen says he feels under-appreciated and his All-Star voting numbers were strong.
If the snub yesterday was intentional and about Bronny does it make you think less of LeBron for doing that or do you respect him more for his unconditional love of his family?
