"I don’t condone any hurt, harm, or danger toward a group of people" - Former NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown splits with Donda Sports even after controversial remarks from Kanye West
Jaylen Brown, along with other high-caliber athletes, found himself needing to distance himself from contoversy this week. Rapper and fashion designer Kanye West, also known as "Ye", has been embroiled in controversy recently due to antisemitic comments. What some may not know is that West also has his own sports agency “Donda Sports”. The website doesn’t offer much detail, but the agency was able to sign some high-profile athletes.
One of the athletes was the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown. The Celtics forward had initially stated he would stay with the company on Monday, but as of Tuesday, he issued a statement terminating his association with Donda:
"I now recognize that there are times when my voice and my position can't coexist in spaces that don't correspond with my stance or my values," Brown wrote. "And, for that reason, I am terminating my association with Donda Sports."
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West has seen himself dropped by Adidas, GAP, and other brands that he has been associated with. As he continues to make erratic statements, people have been publicly distancing themselves. Brown was not alone in his departure from the brand. Aaron Donald of the NFL’s LA Rams also resigned from the agency.
Jaylen Brown’s initial stance had some fans confused, but the Celtics star clarified his stance in the early part of his announcement:
"In the past 24 hours, I've been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions."
What West has done is unacceptable by any standards and it is good for Brown to distance himself. As a young player who is still growing in the league and growing his own brand, he will need to stay far away from situations like this.
There is no word yet on how Brown will handle his representation in the future, but for right now he can just focus on basketball.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics Season
Brown is the second-leading scorer for the Celtics, averaging 24 points per game. The team is currently 3-1 and look to make their way back to the NBA Finals. For the team to achieve that goal and win the title this season, they will need a strong season from Brown.
This is not the first controversy that Jaylen Brown has seen this season that was indirectly related to him. The Celtics are playing this season without head coach Ime Udoku because of a situation the coach had in the offseason. Brown and his teammates seem to be pushing past the fact that he will probably be able to do the same with the issue with the Donda agency.
The next time we see them, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics will be in action during a home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.