Jaylen Brown is getting ready for another NBA season, but apparently, basketball alone was not enough.
The Philadelphia 76ers star decided to add some punches to his preseason routine. Brown made his boxing debut on Wednesday in Nigeria, stepping into the ring and trying his hand at the sweet science.
Why prepare for NBA defenders when you can voluntarily let another human being punch you?
Jaylen Brown made his boxing debut in Nigeria 👀 pic.twitter.com/U3TiELfDsQ
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 10, 2026
While this may appear to be coming out of left field, Brown has trained in Muay Thai and spoken about having a potential combat sport career after he’s done with the NBA.
“To be honest, I’ve toyed with this and I’ve talked to some people,” he told reporters in February. “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’s decision also shows how NBA players continue to explore different ways to stay sharp during the offseason. Some players play pickup basketball, others lift weights. Brown apparently looked at all those options and thought, “You know what? Getting punched sounds fun.”
NBA star Jaylen Brown made his boxing debut in Nigeria 👀
“I did 0 prep for this” pic.twitter.com/6tatOCI8dm
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) September 10, 2026
That competitive edge is nothing new for Brown.
The real question now is whether his boxing experiment stays a fun offseason activity or becomes another serious pursuit.
For now, basketball remains the main event. The Sixers will eventually need Brown focused on winning games, not winning rounds.
Still, there is something entertaining about watching an NBA star trade sneakers for boxing gloves.
Brown came to Nigeria to make his boxing debut, and left with a new story to tell.
Hopefully, a face that still looks exactly the same.
