The NBA has been taking a lot of heat over Jaylen Brown's ejection from the Boston Celtics' nationally televised game against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday night. Players, coaches and fans have all weighed in, believing Brown's ejection in the second quarter was an overreaction by the officiating crew.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith shares that sentiment as well based on his heated rant on Wednesday's episode of "First Take."
"He did not deserve the ejection. He didn't deserve it. It's egregious," Smith said. "I really want to state for the record, I'm so pissed off right now, I don't know what to do with myself. This is ridiculous."
Stephen A Smith just WENT OFF on the NBA for ejecting Jaylen Brown last night during the Celtics vs Spurs game:
“WHO IS SUYASH MEHTA… WHO IS HE TO RUIN A PRIMETIME GAME WITH JAYSON TATUM, JAYLEN BROWN AND WEMBY
HE SHOULD BE CONFINED TO REF WIZARDS GAMES FOR LIFE THIS IS BS” pic.twitter.com/P56yqwJGS7
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) March 11, 2026
Smith wasn't happy with the ejection given how big the game was between two of the best teams in basketball on national TV. He also defended Brown as an MVP candidate and believes he should've gotten a longer leash from the officials.
Smith was particularly enraged that the referee who gave Brown his second technical foul, thereby ejecting him, was not arguing with Brown in the first place and was not the crew chief.
"Why? It was none of your business! You had nothing to do with the play! It was not your call, and you're not the chief! Who the hell do you think you are? We got a nationally televised game going on with a top-two candidate for league MVP honors. We wanna see Jaylen Brown!" Smith screamed.
Smith has a point. Nobody likes it when the refs take over the game and make it about themselves. They should have let Brown go after the first technical, but instead they triggered a national debate by giving him the second one.
Ridiculous, indeed.
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