Jaylen Brown Eyes UFC or Boxing After NBA Career
Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said at NBA All‑Star Game media day on Saturday (ET) that he has "toyed" with the idea of stepping into combat sports once his professional basketball career is over. The five‑time All‑Star and 2024 Finals MVP said he has Muay Thai training and has discussed the possibility with UFC CEO Dana White.
What Brown said at All‑Star media day
Speaking with reporters, Brown did not frame the idea as a passing joke. "To be honest, I've toyed with this and I've talked to some people, " he said. "Maybe post part of my career, I'd love to partake in something like UFC or even boxing. I've talked to Dana White about some stuff, but we'll see as things go on. We'll see. "
Brown, 29, is listed at 6‑foot‑6 and 223 pounds and brings a background in Muay Thai to the table. He made clear that any move to combat sports would be a post‑NBA project rather than an immediate switch, and he emphasized an exploratory stance: interested but cautious.
How a fight career could fit — and the hurdles
On paper, Brown's size would place him near the top of most mixed martial arts divisions. At 223 pounds he'd be in the heavyweight bracket unless he cut roughly 17 pounds to qualify for light heavyweight. Beyond weight class, significant challenges remain: acquiring advanced grappling and wrestling skills, adjusting to six‑ounce gloves in MMA or the different stance and conditioning required for boxing, and managing the physical risks that come with striking and clinch work.
Timing is another obstacle. Brown is in his athletic prime with an NBA workload that includes long seasons, training camps, and postseason runs. Any legitimate commitment to fight would likely have to wait until he steps away from full‑time basketball to avoid jeopardizing a Celtics career that continues to demand top‑level preparation and health management.
There are also contractual and promotional considerations. A fighter's training camp and fight schedule can conflict with team obligations and insurance protections that NBA players typically maintain. Still, Brown's star power would be an immediate draw for promoters in either MMA or boxing, creating potential marquee matchups and lucrative crossover events.
Implications for the Celtics and combat sports
Brown's openness to combat sports adds a novel angle to his public persona and could create marketing opportunities for both sides. The Celtics coach, who has previously shown interest in mixed martial arts and uses fight footage as a teaching tool, may see Brown's combat training as an extension of his competitive toolkit rather than a distraction — provided the player keeps fights for a post‑NBA chapter.
For combat sports, a high‑profile NBA star entering the cage or ring would be a major spectacle and media event. Promoters would likely craft careful debut plans that emphasize Brown's athleticism while minimizing risk exposure early on. For Brown, any move would hinge on mastering new disciplines and making a personal decision about how much he wants to embrace a sport that can carry serious physical consequences.
For now, Brown's comments are best read as an intriguing possibility rather than a concrete plan. He remains focused on basketball today, but he has signaled that the door is open to a future in fighting — a path that would turn one of the NBA's premier two‑way players into one of combat sports' most watched newcomers should he choose to walk through it.
