Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Challenges NBA Rivals to 1-on-1 Tournament

Brown calls out Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Brunson, and Mitchell for potential All-Star Weekend showdown

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has proposed a 1-on-1 tournament among several top NBA players, including Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, and Donovan Mitchell. Brown praised the successful 1-on-1 tournament in the Unrivaled women's league and believes a similar event could help revive interest in the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.

Why it matters

A 1-on-1 tournament featuring some of the league's biggest stars could generate significant excitement and attention around the NBA All-Star Weekend, which has seen diminishing interest in recent years. The individual matchups would showcase the players' elite skills and competitiveness in a format that is often lacking from the current All-Star events.

The details

During a media session, Brown challenged Doncic, Gilgeous-Alexander, Brunson, and Mitchell to a 1-on-1 tournament, saying "Luka, Shai, Brunson, Donovan, I would challenge all those guys 1-on-1." The idea of a 1-on-1 tournament has been proposed as a potential new event to add to the All-Star Weekend festivities, which could help boost interest and viewership.

  • Jaylen Brown made the challenge to reporters on Saturday, February 15, 2026.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A superstar player for the Boston Celtics who has proposed a 1-on-1 tournament among several top NBA players.

Luka Doncic

An All-NBA caliber player for the Dallas Mavericks who Jaylen Brown has challenged to a 1-on-1 matchup.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

A rising star player for the Oklahoma City Thunder who Jaylen Brown has challenged to a 1-on-1 matchup.

Jalen Brunson

A talented guard for the New York Knicks who Jaylen Brown has challenged to a 1-on-1 matchup.

Donovan Mitchell

An elite scoring guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers who Jaylen Brown has challenged to a 1-on-1 matchup.

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What they’re saying

“Luka, Shai, Brunson, Donovan, I would challenge all those guys 1-on-1.”

— Jaylen Brown (basketnews.com)

What’s next

It remains to be seen if NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and league leadership will consider implementing Jaylen Brown's proposal for a 1-on-1 tournament as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend festivities.

The takeaway

Jaylen Brown's challenge to several top NBA players for a 1-on-1 tournament highlights the potential for such an event to generate excitement and renewed interest in the NBA All-Star Weekend, which has struggled with declining viewership in recent years. If the league embraces Brown's idea, it could showcase the individual skills and competitiveness of the game's biggest stars.