DeMarcus Cousins accused Jayson Tatum of being performative in his pregame interaction with Jaylen Brown, questioning why the Celtics star approached his former teammate publicly.

Speaking on Run It Back, Cousins said Brown had already made his position on their relationship clear. He suggested Tatum’s attempted greeting created an opportunity to present himself favorably in front of the cameras.

“I feel like Jaylen Brown, with the words that he said, he’s kind of made it clear, like, we’re not cool. There’s nothing to really talk about. We’re not cool,” Cousins said.

“So, to me, it was a bit performative. It was almost like, let me be the good guy in the spotlight while I can make him look like the bad guy in the spotlight.”

Cousins then questioned the purpose of a public interaction when the two players had apparently not resolved their differences privately.

“At the end of the day, if you can’t have a conversation in private, why have an interaction in public?” he asked.

The controversy resurfaced Tuesday when Boston defeated Philadelphia 123-101 in the first meeting between Tatum and Brown as opponents. Tatum approached Brown before tipoff, tapping him on the shoulder and chest, but Brown did not return the greeting.

The former Celtics teammates spent a decade together in Boston, winning an NBA championship and reaching multiple NBA Finals and Eastern Conference Finals. However, their relationship reportedly deteriorated following Brown’s offseason trade to Philadelphia.

Shams Charania said on Inside the NBA that the two players had not spoken since late June, when they met for a heart-to-heart conversation.

“These two guys, Ernie, they have not spoken to each other since late June,” Charania said. “Days later Jaylen Brown was traded.”

Kenny Smith suggested Brown might believe Tatum could have prevented the trade, arguing that Tatum’s support could have influenced the Celtics’ decision.

“If Jayson Tatum said I don’t want this guy traded. He would still be there,” Smith said.

Smith also criticized Brown for not returning the greeting, saying he was disappointed that the former teammates did not share a hug.

Brown, however, played down the exchange after the game. He said he was focused on Philadelphia and insisted the reunion did not affect his preparation.

“I didn’t have any emotion. I was locked in. I was focused. I was ready to go,” Brown said.

The 2024 NBA Finals MVP finished with 13 points, five rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes. Tatum recorded 21 points, six rebounds and four assists in Boston’s victory.

Tatum also declined to make the interaction a storyline, saying he was simply preparing for the game.

Boston improved to 9-2, while Philadelphia dropped to 9-3.

The teams will meet again during the regular season, giving Brown and Tatum further opportunities to face each other as the discussion around their relationship continues.