Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was teammates with point guard Marcus Smart for seven seasons, and the two became great friends in that time span. However, they didn't always get along.

Smart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason, was not Brown's favorite teammate initially. Ahead of Boston's Sunday night showdown against the Grizzlies, Brown revealed that he butted heads with Smart early on in his career, per Celtics CLNS reporter Bobby Manning.

“I couldn't stand Marcus at first,” Brown said with a smile. “And I love him now. It be like that sometimes…Me and Marcus didn't start off great, I wasn't the biggest fan of Marcus when I first got to Boston…But over time, I realized me and Marcus have similar spirits. If I was going to war with anyone, Marcus would be one of my first phone calls.”

Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart go way back

Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Celtics

Brown and Smart are both passionate players who go to work with fire in their bellies, so it's not shocking that they clashed at first. When Brown was drafted in 2016, Smart was one of the more vocal leaders on the Celtics, meaning Smart probably had plenty to say to the inexperienced rookie.

Perhaps the tough love worked, as Brown quickly developed into an elite guard over the next few years. Alongside Jayson Tatum, Brown is now a franchise cornerstone, which Smart used to be prior to the surprising trade to Memphis.

Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart are both injured

Unfortunately, there's a chance that neither Smart nor Brown play during their reunion. Smart is expected to miss multiple weeks due to an ankle injury and Brown might sit out because of a right adductor strain.

A potential homecoming contest isn't out of the question, though. On Feb. 4, the Grizzlies will travel to Beantown for a contest that should hopefully feature a healthy Smart and Brown. Regardless, the enemies turned friends will surely link up on Sunday.