"First off, that's not happening" - Stephen A Smith refuses to backtrack on Jaylen Brown take, tries to clarify by calling him '$300M man'

Stephen A. Smith is not backing down from a recent take on Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics. It's despite getting a response from Brown as well as Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. Smith tried to clarify everything in a post and even called the Celtics star the "$300M man."

In a tweet, the eccentric ESPN analyst responded to Brown, who asked him to reveal his source. Smith made headlines after reading a quote from a source, who called the three-time All-Star a player with an 'I am better than you' attitude.

"First off, that's not happening. It's journalism. Not revealing sources. Secondly, if you continue to watch the segment, I completely disagreed with them — as did Kendrick Perkins. The point we were actually discussing is how under appreciated you are and why that may be, which is why I read the quote.

"I even brought up how socially conscious you are, and how that may not be liked, knowing you're a good brother. Also, that you're a $300M man and you deserve it. But that doesn't mean naysayers don't get heard. That comes with the territory," Smith wrote.

The criticism came during a time wherein the Boston Celtics are one win away from the NBA Finals. The Celtics are up 3-0 over the Indiana Pacers and have a chance for a sweep on Monday night at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Jaylen Brown is one of the reasons why the Celtics have the advantage, scoring 40 points in Game 2. He also had 24 points in Game 1, including the game-tying shot that forced overtime. He put up 26 points in another come-from-behind win in Game 3.

However, what prompted Stephen A. Smith to reveal his source's take on Brown? Smith and the "First Take" crew were discussing if Brown is underrated and underappreciated in the NBA.

Here's what the source said about Brown via Stephen A.:

"I wanted to read to y'all what an NBA source just sent me. He said, 'Jaylen Brown, it's not so much that he's underrated, it's that he's just not liked because of his 'I am better than you' attitude. He knows it. It's the same reason he is not as marketable as he should be.' That's what an NBA source just sent me."

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Why did Isiah Thomas defend Jaylen Brown?

Isiah Thomas came to Jaylen Brown's defense after what Stephen A. Smith's source told him. Thomas has served as a mentor and advisor to the Boston Celtics star, as well as a friend. He called out Smith and the source, while also describing Brown as marketable.

While Smith shared his source's take, he agreed with his colleagues that Brown is one of the most underrated players in the NBA. He was not voted into an All-NBA Team this season but remains the only player in the league to have a $300 million contract.