Jayson Tatum was absolutely rocked when he found out Jaylen Brown got traded to the Philadelphia 76ers this past summer, admitting he was “stunned” by the whole thing. It was a bombshell move, and even the guy who played alongside Brown for nine years was caught completely off guard.
The “Oh S–t” Moment in Vegas
Picture this: Vegas. Summer. Tatum just wrapped up a pickup game, probably feeling good. Then ESPN’s Shams Charania walks over, hands him a towel, and drops a bomb: “Yo, put this over your face. Don’t react. They just traded him.” Tatum’s response? Pure, unadulterated shock, and yeah, a little bit of profanity. “Oh s–t. Where?” he recalled saying on a video on his YouTube channel. The answer? “Philly.” Tatum’s mind immediately went to the rivalry: “We traded him down the street?” Yeah, that’s right. He was as blindsided as any fan, saying he was “just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world.” Talk about finding out from the news like everybody else.
Nine Years, Forever Stitched in Stone
On his YouTube channel, Tatum didn’t pull any punches when talking about their nine years together in Boston, from 2017 to 2026. He said he’s been “very much transparent” about how thankful he is for their bond and everything they achieved. Seriously, for Tatum, you can’t talk about one without the other. They grew up together, went through every up and down, heard all the noise about how they couldn’t win together or one had to go. All that garbage? They dealt with it. Tatum said he knew every single time he stepped on that court and it was time to go to war, he could look to his left or right and “No. 7 was over there,” ready to do “whatever it took for us to win.”
He’s clear: they made each other better, they made the team better, the organization better. And the proof is in the pudding: “We won a championship. Like we were forever stitched in stone in NBA history. We held up that trophy. It won’t ever be forgotten.” Talk about leaving it all out there and making history together.
The Rivalry Shift Was a “Huge Surprise”
For the record, the Celtics shipped Brown to the Sixers for Paul George, plus two first-round and two second-round picks. There were whispers about a trade, sure, but sending a foundational guy like Brown to a literal rival? That hit different. Even for Tatum, it was a “huge surprise.” So while the game keeps moving, the bond between Jayson and Jaylen, and what they built, is solidified. That championship trophy? That nine-year run? It’s not going anywhere, no matter where they play now. That’s the real story, straight from Tatum himself.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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