Jaylen Brown Leads All-Star Media Voting for First Time

Jaylen Brown reached a new career milestone after earning an All-Star starting spot for the first time. The Boston Celtics wing earned one of the five Eastern Conference starting spots for the 2026 All-Star Game in Los Angeles, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jalen Brunson, Cade Cunningham, and Tyrese Maxey, Boston Herald reports. While the starter pool itself raised few eyebrows, how Brown arrived there stood out across the league. Brown finished No. 1 in media voting among Eastern Conference players, a result that jumped off the official All-Star voting breakdown released by the NBA. Starters are determined by a weighted formula, with fans accounting for 50 percent of the vote, current players 25 percent, and media members the remaining 25 percent, per Sports Illustrated. That final category pushed Brown to the top. It marked Brown’s fifth All-Star selection overall, but his first as a starter, a milestone that landed differently given the season-long conversation around his standing within the league. Jaylen Brown’s Message After Starter Selection Brown addressed the moment shortly after the announcement, choosing to frame it through loyalty and long-term belief rather than validation from voters. “I think it means a lot to the fans that have been supporting me and knowing the type of talent I was from day 1,” Brown said. “Shoutout to all the day 1 JB fans.” The comment doubled as gratitude and reminder. Brown did not focus on rankings or comparisons. He pointed directly to those who believed early, a recurring theme in a season where he has often felt overlooked despite sustained production. That context matters. Brown recently missed out on Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors, a decision that sparked conversation given his role and consistency during that stretch. He has also spoken openly this season about using doubt as fuel, leaning into moments where recognition feels slow to arrive. “I like when people doubt,” Brown said after a standout performance earlier this year. “It fuels me. Even though it would be nice to get some respect, keep it up. I definitely use it as fuel.” Media members appeared to land on the opposite side of that debate. In the Eastern Conference voting results, Brown ranked first among media voters, ahead of several players who finished higher in fan or player ballots. The graphic breakdown made the contrast clear and quickly circulated online. Fans React to Brown’s Media Vote Finish Fans wasted little time reacting to Brown’s media ranking once the numbers went public. “THE MEDIA LIKES JAYLEN BROWN SHOCKER,” one fan wrote, highlighting the contrast between voting groups. Another added, “So it’s the fans who underrate Jaylen Brown the most.” A third comment struck a more definitive tone: “I don’t care about none of it so long as Jaylen Brown getting his respect. Anyone who feels otherwise is plain and simply delusional.” Those reactions mirrored a larger theme surrounding Brown’s season. While his on-court impact has remained steady, discourse around his place among the league’s elite often lags behind the results. Coaches around the league have offered strong praise, and Brown himself has never shied away from stating how he views his own game. That disconnect between perception and production is part of what made the media vote notable. In a process split evenly across fans, players, and analysts, the media bloc delivered the clearest signal of belief. The All-Star Game itself will debut a new format this year, with three teams competing in short, single-quarter games as part of a U.S. vs. World concept designed to increase competitiveness. Brown will now take the floor as a starter within that revamped structure, carrying both a personal milestone and a season-long narrative with him. For Brown, the message was simple. The recognition did not change how he sees himself. It affirmed what he says his supporters have known from the beginning.