NBA Star Jaylen Brown Says Giving Back Comes at a Cost For Athletes

What happens when an athlete decides to use his wealth to benefit the people who helped him get there? According to NBA star Jaylen Brown, things can get “weird.”

The Philadelphia 76ers star recently took to streaming to talk about what he says happens behind the scenes when athletes try to invest their money, time and influence in the communities they came from. According to Brown, the powers that be often intervene, discouraging athletes from philanthropy.

“They’re steering them away from helping the people in the situation they came from,” the athlete said during a livestream, arguing that some representatives are more interested in opportunities that benefit their own bottom line.

Brown says people surrounding professional athletes can sometimes steer them away from that work, not necessarily because the causes aren’t worthwhile, but because there isn’t a financial payoff for the people representing them. He added that pressure can get particularly uncomfortable when an athlete refuses to go along with it.

RELATED: Jaylen Brown Says Agents Can Cost NBA Players Their Fortunes—Here’s Why He Runs His Own Show

“They are pushing you away, and it’s weird,” he continued. “It’s super weird, and it takes a real strong mind and some real courage to even go against it.”

For Brown, philanthropy has never been an afterthought, regardless of the consequences.

During his 10-year stint with the Boston Celtics, he became increasingly vocal about economic empowerment and investing in Black communities. He launched initiatives focused on education, entrepreneurship and closing racial wealth gaps, while using his platform to push conversations that extended well beyond basketball.

That commitment was recognized even after Brown left Boston.

In August, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu presented him with a key to the city during a farewell celebration honoring his years with the Celtics, according to ESPN. One month prior, July 7 was declared “7uice Foundation Day,” a nod to Brown’s jersey number and his organization dedicated to empowering youth.

The acknowledgments only underscore Brown’s deep connection to the city of Boston and its communities, not just Celtics fans. But Brown’s actions aren’t common in the sports world.

For many professional athletes, philanthropy is carefully packaged through foundations, corporate partnerships, charitable appearances and public-relations campaigns. Brown, meanwhile, has increasingly insisted on having direct control over what he supports and how he talks about it.

Online streaming has become part of that strategy.

Rather than relying exclusively on traditional sports media, Brown can speak directly to fans and have conversations on his own terms. That freedom has allowed him to discuss everything from basketball to business, politics, culture and the pressures that come with being a high-profile Black athlete.

“Corporations, they’re lying to us,” Brown continued during the livestream. “They’re putting propaganda out that’s not even true. That’s why I started streaming in the first place. This industry can be so corrupt.”

That independence comes at a cost.

Brown’s willingness to challenge the machinery surrounding professional sports has made him a target for criticism. He has been characterized by sports commentators, like Stephen A. Smith and Colin Cowherd, as difficult, overly independent and too willing to challenge people with more institutional power.

But Brown appears unbothered by the criticism.

His argument isn’t that every athlete needs to become an activist or philanthropist. It’s that athletes should have the freedom to decide what their success means and who benefits from it.

“I told you I was going to commit and invest in the city, and that’s what we did,” Brown added. “That’s what I’m continuing to do even beyond that… But I want other athletes to feel that. I want other athletes to see that.”