$300 million NBA champion eyes stunning UFC switch after conversation with Dana White

Jaylen Brown wants to swap the basketball court for the Octagon once he’s finished dominating for the Boston Celtics.

The five-time All-Star, who was named NBA Finals MVP as he guided his team to glory in 2024, has long been one of the league’s most explosive players.

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Back in 2023, Brown was rewarded for his domination when he signed one of the richest deals in NBA history — a five-year supermax extension worth up to $303.7 million.

The 29-year-old, who is unrecognizable without his signature beard, will be under contract in Boston through the 2028-29 campaign, and has plenty left in the tank.

This season, he is playing at MVP level, and has been carrying the Celtics while fellow superstar Jayson Tatum recovers from an Achilles injury.

Brown is averaging 29.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game for the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed, and will feature in the All-Star Game on Sunday night, which is being held amid fan backlash.

He is far from done in the NBA, but once he does decide to step back from basketball, he could find a second wind in the ring… or Octagon.

NBA star reveals talks with Dana White over UFC switch

Speaking during a press conference at All-Star Media Day, Brown admitted he would ‘love’ to step into the world of boxing or UFC.

“To be honest, I’ve toyed with this,” he told reporters.

“I’ve talked to some people. Maybe post part of my career, I would love to partake in something like UFC or even boxing.”

That did not sound like a throwaway line, either.

Brown added that he has already consulted Dana White, but did not elaborate on exactly what he discussed with the UFC president.

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He added: “I’ve talked to Dana White about some stuff, but we’ll see as things go on.

“We’ll see.”

Standing at an impressive 6ft 6in, with a weight of 223lbs, Brown would be an absolute behemoth in the combat sports world.

He has also revealed in the past that he uses the martial art Muay Thai as part of his NBA training program.

Jaylen Brown already trains in combat sports

In an interview with Men’s Health in November 2024, he explained that it helped him reach another level, both mentally and physically.

“I’ve just started doing Muay Thai, for about a year now,” Brown said.

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Men's Health

“Just wanted to challenge myself in a different way, challenge my body.

“It’s being great for opening up my hips, which is great for defense, but also being able to stay low, have a greater balance, and being able to stay into certain positions for longer periods of time.

“Muay Thai, the flexibility of it — also fighters train harder — and being able to incorporate that into my mind and my body has been great.”

With his incredible on-court athleticism, and recent martial arts training, Brown is building the kind of profile that would set him up for success in the Octagon.

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UFC president White, who also happens to be a big Celtics fan, could one day make his dreams of switching sports a reality.

Brown wouldn’t be the first NBA star to try his luck in that world, either.

What other basketball players have tried combat sports?

James Johnson, a 17-year NBA veteran, has made waves with his exploits off the court.

He has not officially retired from basketball, and claimed last year that he went 20-0 as a kickboxer during his younger years.

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Johnson, who boasts a black belt in karate, is also convinced he would beat someone like UFC great Jon Jones in the Octagon.

Plenty of other NBA players have history in the combat sports world too.

Shaquille O’Neal enjoys training in martial arts, and has a long-time friendship with Brazilian professional boxer and retired mixed martial artist Vitor Belfort.

Former first-round NBA Draft pick Al Harrington also made headlines by training as an MMA fighter to stay in shape and pass time during the 2011 lockout, as did Tim Duncan and his intimidating 6ft 11in frame.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, meanwhile, studied martial arts under Bruce Lee and famously appeared alongside him in the 1978 movie Game of Death.

Should Brown one day step into the Octagon, he could join that exclusive list too.

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