After reaching the NBA’s mountaintop, the Celtics made it very clear how motivated they were by their doubters and haters.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum had their naysayers top of mind Monday night when they were soaked with champagne in Boston’s locker room. And when Brown returned to TD Garden on Friday morning, he sent a not-so-subtle dig at a recent notable foe.

The NBA Finals MVP arrived for the Celtics’ championship parade wearing a T-shirt with “State Your Source” written on the front. The custom tee was a jab at Stephen A. Smith, who previously cited an “NBA source” to explain why Brown’s marketability and popularity often suffer. Boston’s franchise cornerstone asked the “First Take” host to reveal the source, but Smith declined.

To be fair, Smith was sharing someone else’s opinion when he issued the report about Brown’s marketability and the ESPN star went on to gush over the 27-year-old. Nonetheless, Brown apparently still has a bone to pick with Smith or perhaps even the current state of sports media in general.

Story continues below advertisement

Brown won’t be around many — if any — haters Friday though. The three-time All-Star will spend the afternoon surrounded by Celtics fans eager to celebrate the franchise’s 18th title.

Featured image via Elsa/Pool Photo/USA TODAY Sports Images