Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown said he is considering legal action against the City of Beverly Hills after police shut down a private gathering he organized on Saturday, Feb. 17, during NBA All-Star Weekend.
The 2024 NBA Finals MVP told ESPN’s Andscape that officers ended the invitation-only function around 7 p.m. without speaking to him or to the homeowner, Oakley founder Jim Jannard. Brown said the shutdown caused “significant financial and reputational harm,” estimating his own out-of-pocket cost at $300,000 and sponsor expenses at an additional $300,000 to $500,000.
“You embarrassed my brand and my team, and I think that is unfair,” Brown said, adding that he will meet with his advisers to decide on possible legal steps. “It’s hard to say that you were not being targeted.”
City retracts earlier explanation
On Thursday, Feb. 22, Beverly Hills officials issued an apology, acknowledging that an initial public statement contained “inaccurate information.” The city had previously said an event permit was denied because of past violations at the residence, but later clarified that no permit had been sought or rejected and that the property had no such record.
City Manager Nancy Hunt-Coffey apologized to Brown and the Jannard family while stating that staff “observed circumstances that are believed to be City code violations and for that reason alone, the event was ended.”
Brown dismissed the apology as insufficient. “Even in the apology, they included some stuff that wasn’t true,” he told reporters after posting a triple-double in Boston’s 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night in San Francisco.
Event focused on culture and leadership
The gathering, held at Jannard’s Beverly Hills home, was intended to promote Brown’s Oakley performance brand, 741Performance. A panel featuring National Basketball Players Association president Andre Iguodala was moments from starting when police arrived, Brown said. Rapper LaRussell had spoken earlier, and an after-party for roughly 200 guests was planned.
Brown, known for his social activism and previous lectures at MIT and Harvard, said the forum aimed to discuss “future culture” and collaborative leadership across industries.
Next steps unclear
The Celtics return to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday, but Brown was noncommittal about meeting with city officials, saying, “What is going to be said? It’s already over.”
He did not set a timeline for a final decision on litigation.
Source: ESPN
