Jaylen Brown Wants the Smoke: Calls Out Luka, Shai, and More for One-on-One Showdown at All-Star Weekend
NBA All-Star Weekend has always been a celebration of the game - part showcase, part spectacle, and part playground reunion for the league’s biggest names. This year, the league shook things up with a new format: a three-team mini-tournament featuring Team USA vs.
Team World, and Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić leading the way as the top vote-getter. The idea?
Inject some fresh energy into the event and maybe, just maybe, get these superstars to turn up the intensity a notch.
But if you ask Jaylen Brown, there’s still room to raise the stakes - and he’s got a bold idea to do it.
The Boston Celtics All-Star is throwing his weight behind a concept that’s been floated for years: a one-on-one tournament featuring the league’s elite. And Brown isn’t just talking about it - he’s ready to lace 'em up and go.
“I’m actually a big fan of the one-on-one,” Brown said. “It reminds me of the purity of the game.
Mano y mano. You’ve got people on the court talking trash.
You’ve got to play both sides - offense and defense. I think that would be great.”
Brown sees it as more than just entertainment. He sees it as a return to the essence of basketball - where skill, pride, and competitiveness take center stage. And he’s already got a hit list.
“There are some people I would love to challenge,” he continued. “Some people that are here this weekend I would love to challenge.
All of them - Luka, Shai, Brunson, Donovan. I would challenge all them guys, one-on-one.
We could donate to whatever charity. Let’s set it up.”
That’s not just talk. That’s a direct callout to some of the league’s best guards - Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Donovan Mitchell - all of whom have the handles, footwork, and shot-making to make a one-on-one tournament must-see TV.
And while the league hasn’t green-lit anything yet, it’s worth noting that Commissioner Adam Silver has been open to innovation. From the Play-In Tournament to the NBA Cup, he’s shown a willingness to experiment with format and structure in ways that push the league forward.
A one-on-one bracket featuring the NBA’s brightest stars? That could be the next frontier - if the right incentive is there.
Of course, that’s the million-dollar question: how do you get top-10 players to risk pride (and possibly ankles) in a high-stakes one-on-one setting? Money helps, sure. But in a league where legacy and ego carry serious weight, bragging rights might be the real prize.
Luka Believes in the Lakers’ Title Hopes
Speaking of pride and confidence - Luka Dončić isn’t short on either. In his first full season with the Lakers, Dončić has not only emerged as a frontrunner in the MVP race, but he’s also leading the league in scoring. Even with Los Angeles battling through injuries and inconsistent stretches in the first half, Dončić remains locked in on the bigger picture.
He believes this team has what it takes to win it all.
It’s the kind of belief you want from your franchise cornerstone. The Lakers have the talent, no question.
The question is whether they can stay healthy, find cohesion, and peak at the right time. If they do, and if Dončić keeps playing the way he has been, they’ll be a problem for anyone come playoff time.
So while All-Star Weekend is a break in the grind, the second half of the season looms large. For Luka and the Lakers, it’s about chasing banners.
For Jaylen Brown, it’s about chasing matchups. Either way, the competitive fire is alive and well - and that’s exactly what the league, and the fans, want to see.