The Philadelphia 76ers pulled off some absolutely wild moves this offseason, and while LeBron James joining Joel Embiid was huge, snagging Jaylen Brown from the rival Boston Celtics might have been an even bigger shocker. But get this: Embiid is already dropping lighthearted jabs at his new teammate, proving old habits die hard, even when you’re on the same squad.
The 3-1 Comeback That Started It All
Look, everyone knows the history here. Brown, Jayson Tatum, and the Celtics have battled Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and the Sixers for years. Absolute wars on the court, and yeah, plenty of trash talk flying around. It all really came to a head last season when the Celtics absolutely blew a 3-1 series lead, losing to the Sixers in brutal fashion. That has to sting Brown, right? There’s just so much history between these guys, you knew there’d be some lingering fire.
Embiid’s Shot: “He Knew He Had No Chance”
So, even with Brown now rocking the same jersey, Embiid, the 32-year-old big man, just couldn’t resist a little jab. He was on ESPN, praising Brown’s competitiveness, which is cool and all. But then he dropped the bomb. Here’s the exact quote, and it’s pure Embiid gold: “I’ve had a lot of battles with him. One thing that I’ve always respected is how competitive he is. Even when we came back down 3-1 against them last year, he took the challenge of guarding me. He knew he had no chance of getting a stop, but I guess the other guys couldn’t do it…he knew before, but you still gotta try and find out.”
Classic Embiid, right? A backhanded compliment for his new teammate. He respects the fight, but also reminds everyone, including Brown, who was truly dominant. It tells you everything about the competitive fire still burning, even on the same side.
This kind of public trash talk, even lighthearted, between two new teammates, makes you wonder what’s coming next. Imagine if Embiid and Brown start directing those jabs *at* their old team! Fans are gonna have to hold tight for a few weeks to see Brown face the Celtics for the first time. That first showdown between the Sixers and Celtics in the 2026-27 season is set for Tuesday, November 10, right there in Philly. You know that game is going to be absolutely ELECTRIC.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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