Jaylen Brown put his new Philadelphia 76ers teammate LeBron James at the top of basketball’s all-time list in a video posted Saturday by FOX29 Philadelphia’s Jeff Skversky.

The five-time All-Star spent his first 10 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics before being traded to Philadelphia this summer. Now preparing for his first season alongside the four-time MVP, Brown shared his thoughts on the NBA legend, drawing mixed reactions from fans.

Jaylen Brown’s LeBron James GOAT Praise Draws Mixed Reactions

Speaking about James in Skversky’s video, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP offered a clear assessment of his new teammate.

“That’s the greatest player to play the game,” Brown said.

The remark drew different interpretations from fans, particularly over how Brown delivered his answer. Some welcomed the praise, while others questioned whether he sounded entirely comfortable making the declaration.

“Wear it like a badge, son,” one fan wrote.

Another questioned his response: “Why’d he hesitate?”

One fan scrutinized his delivery: “Stuttered, mouth twitched, eyes shifted, shrugged.”

“He already tired of glazing LeBron,” another remarked.

Other fans pointed out that Brown had previously expressed similar admiration for James.

“This ain’t new either. He’s been saying this,” one fan commented. “He actually is smart,” another added.

The former Celtics star’s praise went beyond calling James the greatest player ever. He also spoke about his admiration for James’ approach to the game.

“It’s incredible to see his work ethic and his process,” Brown said, adding that playing alongside James was an “honor.”

Skversky also reported that Brown smiled while acknowledging that he sometimes finds it hard to believe he and James are teammates.

Brown had expressed similar admiration in early August. During a Twitch stream, he described the opportunity to play with James as a chance to learn from “one of if not the greatest player of all time,” according to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

The two faced each other in the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Celtics in seven games. Brown, then 21, led Boston with 19.7 points per game, while James averaged 33.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.4 assists. It was Brown’s second NBA season, while James was making his eighth consecutive trip to the Finals.

The four-time NBA Finals MVP finished that series with 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in Game 7, playing all 48 minutes to lead Cleveland to an 87-79 victory in Boston.