Jaylen Brown isn’t sweating the viral hair product fiasco anymore - in fact, he’s flipping the script.
Back in October, the Boston Celtics star found himself trending for something that had nothing to do with his jumper or his defense. During a game against the Knicks, fans noticed a dark smudge on OG Anunoby’s jersey - and it didn’t take long to trace it back to Brown.
A hair enhancement product he’d used had rubbed off midgame, leaving a visible mark. Social media had a field day, and the moment even landed on Shaqtin’ a Fool.
At the time, Brown, 29, admitted the attention was a little embarrassing. But now? He’s owning it with the same confidence he brings to the hardwood.
“After a while, it was like, ‘Those dudes should be grateful,’” Brown joked in a recent interview. “They’re lucky that I left my mark on them.
I should get a thank-you card. You have the residue of a champion on you.
You’re welcome.”
That’s classic Jaylen - leaning into the moment, but also reframing it on his terms. And if there’s one thing Celtics fans know, it’s that Brown doesn’t shy away from the spotlight, even when it’s for something off the court.
The four-time All-Star and former Finals MVP explained that the product in question is a common barber tool - a cosmetic enhancement to sharpen up the hairline or fill in thinning areas. It’s not exactly groundbreaking stuff, but when it ends up on another player’s jersey under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, it becomes a meme in minutes.
Brown didn’t hide from the jokes. In a livestream shortly after the incident, he poked fun at himself, blaming “10 years of stress, the media, [and] the championship” for his hairline struggles. A month later, cameras caught Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert telling Brown to go bald - a playful jab that Gobert later said was his way of encouraging Brown to “join the fraternity.”
But beneath the humor, there’s a deeper message Brown is trying to get across. He recently partnered with Nutrafol, a hair growth supplement company, and he’s using the viral moment to start a conversation - not just about hair, but about mental health.
“In reality, things could be a lot worse,” Brown said. “And I like to laugh, I like to joke, so I get it.
And I think the world needs more humor to some degree. But you still bring humor, but I’m doing this to also [address] the mental health components of hair loss, just to show the balance.
Both things can be true.”
That’s the kind of perspective you get from a veteran who’s been through the highs and lows of an NBA career. Brown isn’t just brushing off the jokes - he’s using them to highlight something real. In a league where image is everything and pressure runs high, even something as seemingly minor as hair loss can weigh on a player’s confidence.
So yes, Jaylen Brown went viral for a hairline mishap. But instead of letting it define him, he turned it into a moment - one that blends humor, vulnerability, and a reminder that even champions have their off-court battles.
And if you end up with a smudge of his hair product on your jersey? Consider it a badge of honor.