Jaylen Brown Eyes UFC Career After Basketball

Jaylen Brown, a five-time NBA All-Star, seems to be thinking beyond basketball, as he’s contemplating a future in mixed martial arts.

So, where might this lead him?

Well, it sounds like the Octagon, from what Brown mentioned during the NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.

Interestingly, he’s even had conversations with UFC CEO Dana White about this potential pivot.

“I’ve explored this a bit and talked to a few folks,” Brown said, who has some training in Muay Thai. “I’d love to be involved in something like the UFC or boxing. I’ve touched base with Dana White about a few ideas. But, you know, we’ll see how it goes.”

At 29, and with still a fair amount of talent on the basketball court, it seems those UFC aspirations might be on the back burner for now.

Currently, the Celtics sit at No. 2 in the Eastern Conference heading into the break, and Brown is having quite a season.

He’s averaging 23.9 points per game, along with 6.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists, placing him among the league’s top offensive players.

Plus, he was named the 2024 NBA Finals MVP when the Celtics beat the Mavericks in five games. It’s been a remarkable journey for him.

Not to forget, the NBA has its fair share of physical moments, giving Brown opportunities to utilize some of his fighting skills, if needed.

“There’s a certain thrill in moments that stir a bit of controversy,” Brown noted. “It’s not always significant, but we have passionate players. Emotional outbursts will happen. Some of those rough edges, like throwing the elbow, are just part of the game to an extent.”

Recently, though, he was involved in a verbal clash with the city of Beverly Hills, after police shut down an event he hosted during All-Star weekend.

Brown took to social media, calling Beverly Hills “trash” and criticized the department, lamenting, “These people worked so hard for this, and yet they did this to us.”