Jaylen Brown's action-filled offseason continued this week when he made his boxing "debut" in Nigeria. Brown, who is in the country with his non-profit, The 7uice Foundation, said in a comment on social media that he did not prepare for the bout, but has not yet made any other public comments. The NBA star was traded from the Celtics to the 76ers in a summer blockbuster and will report to training camp with his new team in three weeks.

According to a poster in the background of a video posted to 7uice Foundation's Instagram page, the fight took place on Sept. 8 at the NIS Gymnasium in Lagos. "The metaphor is you gotta fight for what you want!" the caption on the post read. The identity of Brown's opponent is unclear, but he was nearly as tall as the 6-foot-6 Brown. 

Both fighters wore headgear for the bout, which was more of a public sparring session, but they did exchange a few real punches. Brown, fighting out of a southpaw stance, caught his opponent with a sharp jab at one point, and he also showed off some nice defense by slipping a big left hook. He did appear to be hit at least once, however, when he took a blow to the midsection. 

Brown wants to fight more in the future

Brown's father, Quinton Marselles Brown, was a former professional boxer with a 33-18-1 record, including 25 wins by knockout. At All-Star Weekend earlier this year, Brown said that he would like to follow in his father's footsteps after his playing days are over. 

"I've toyed with this, I've talked to some people. Maybe post part of my career I'd love to partake in something like UFC or even boxing," Brown said. He added that he's spoken to UFC president Dana White "about some stuff." 

Brown has also been training in Muay Thai since 2023, when he turned to the martial arts after a crushing defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. 

"Just wanted to challenge myself in a different way, challenge my body," Brown said about Muay Thai in a video with Men's Health last year. "It's been great for opening up my hips, which is great for defense, but also being able to stay low, having greater balance, being able to stay in certain positions for a longer period of time."

"Muay Thai, the flexibility of it, and also fighters train harder, Brown continued. "Being able to incorporate that into my mind and my body has been great." 

Are current players allowed to fight?

Numerous players around the league use incorporate boxing and martial arts training into their offseason regimen to increase their cardio, flexibility and durability. But actually getting into the ring with an opponent and throwing punches -- even with headgear -- is a different matter altogether. 

The 76ers haven't addressed Brown's fight. For what it's worth, here's what the collective bargaining agreement says about players participating in combat sports, emphasis added: 

"The Player's Base Compensation protection for each Season hereunder shall not be applicable if the Player's lack of skill, death, injury or illness, and/or mental disability (as applicable) results from the Player's:

"participation in activities prohibited by Paragraph 12 of the Contract (as such Paragraph may be modified by Exhibit 5), which includes, among other things, engaging in any activity that a reasonable person would recognize as involving or exposing the participant to a substantial risk of bodily injury including, but not limited to (i) sky-diving, hang gliding, snow skiing, rock or mountain climbing (as distinguished from hiking), water or jet skiing, whitewater rafting, rappelling, bungee jumping, trampoline jumping and mountain biking; (ii) any fighting, boxing, or wrestling; (iii) using fireworks or participating in any activity involving firearms or other weapons; (iv) riding on electric scooters or hoverboards; (v) driving or riding on a motorcycle or moped or four-wheeling/off-roading of any kind; (vi) riding in or on any motorized vehicle in any kind of race or racing contest; (vii) operating an aircraft of any kind; (viii) engaging in any other activity excluded or prohibited by or under any insurance policy which the Team procures against the injury, illness, or disability to or of the Player, or death of the Player, for which the Player has received written notice from the Team prior to the execution of this Contract; or (ix) participating in any game or exhibition of basketball, football, baseball, hockey, lacrosse, or other team sport or competition."

In other words, if a player sustains a serious injury while fighting, boxing or wrestling, among many other activities, their team would not have to pay them their guaranteed money. Many players, for what it's worth, have played in offseason pro-am basketball leagues, like the Drew League, in recent years.

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