Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Last season’s MVP race was nothing short of a bloodbath. With several worthy candidates, any one could have been named the MVP, and their case would have been perfectly justified. Among these, however, none was disrespected as much as Jaylen Brown.
Despite arguably having the best season of his career, averaging 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game on 47.7% shooting from the field, Brown finished sixth in the MVP race. Needless to say, there were other players with more compelling cases for the award. But former NBA player Tracy McGrady felt that there was more to it.
While speaking about the topic on the “Cousins” podcast with Vince Carter, McGrady called out the MVP voters for underplaying Jaylen Brown’s performance last season, stating:
“I don’t like some of the things that happened with JB. Shading him from things that he actually earned. Like, if you look at if anybody would have put up those types of numbers last year under the circumstances with Boston, with JT being out and no expectations for them to do anything in the Eastern Conference, they would have won second, runner-up, or MVP averaging 28 points and being second in the East. Like, to place him what, fourth or fifth? It’s so disrespectful and just nasty work. What are we doing out here, man?”
“It makes you look at, across the board, all the dirty s–t y’all have been doing just because you have a vendetta or some kind of personal feelings about a particular player that you don’t want to give him his just due. That man earned that right. That’s the thing I don’t like about sports and our league. It’s nasty work.”
The 2025-26 season was probably the defining moment of Brown’s career. In Jayson Tatum‘s absence, along with a relatively weaker squad on paper, the superstar led the Celtics on an incredible regular-season campaign, helping them finish second in the East and positioning himself as one of the best two-way players in the NBA.
Despite these achievements, Jaylen Brown was on the outside looking in, as players like Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokic (runner-up), and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (winner) were named the finalists for the MVP award.
As mentioned earlier, McGrady’s comments don’t necessarily take away from the achievements of these three players. For all intents and purposes, each finalist came with a solid argument. Unfortunately, considering the media’s perception of Jaylen Brown, there is every reason to believe that the 29-year-old was treated unfairly, too.
Although Jaylen Brown was phenomenal in the regular season, which is the primary criterion for the award, the Celtics’ underwhelming display in the playoffs may have inadvertently harmed his case. With a disappointing first-round exit shortly after Jayson Tatum’s return, the optics certainly weren’t on his side.
After being knocked out of the playoffs, Brown’s career took a drastic turn as his relationship with the Celtics’ organization deteriorated rapidly. Given that this also led to him being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, especially after an MVP-caliber season, it clearly raises some suspicion.
Either way, Jaylen Brown’s arrival in Philadelphia triggered some more spectacular signings for the franchise, safely positioning it as a title contender. With the 2026-27 season shaping up as a revenge campaign for the 29-year-old, it will be intriguing to see what he can accomplish with the 76ers as sacrifice becomes the defining theme for each superstar on the roster.
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