The Boston Celtics have plenty of what the kids like to call aura. Their mystique is driven by the franchise lore, which includes a league-leading 18 NBA championships. Yet, the players that don the leprechaun green jerseys are the real pot of gold.
Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion and five-time MVP selection. Larry Bird, a three-time NBA champion and three-time MVP selection. The Big 4 of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, who delivered them a championship in 2008.
Nowadays, 19-year-old (just kidding, 26-year-old) Jayson Tatum is the face of the franchise. A star whose popularity has grown with his playmaking, he’s coming off of a career regular season. In 74 games, he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest on .471-.376-.833 splits.
However, in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, it was Jaylen Brown who emerged as ‘the guy.’ He won both the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP awards as the Celtics won their first championship since 2008. The fact that he did so while being one of the most disrespected stars in the league made the moment that much more succulent.
Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Reveals What He’s ‘Grateful’ For
On the first day of training camp, Brown spoke to reporters about the criticism he’s faced over the years. In no unclear terms, the 27-year-old made it known that he’s appreciated the pressure. “I’m grateful and I wouldn’t change it for anything,” he tells reporters (h/t The Athletic’s Jared Weiss).
Jaylen Brown said the moments when he got booed and people wanted to trade him helped make him who he is today.
“I’m grateful and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’m glad nothing was handed to me. I was the third pick and I had to earn everything in this organization. That’s…
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 24, 2024
He really has had to earn it all though.
Although he was selected third overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, it was largely based on potential. The Georgia native had a prototypical NBA physique. He had the baseline level of athleticism that many All-Star wings have had. He had demonstrated the ability to make a positive impact at both ends of the ball.
Playing for Cal-Berkeley, IQ obviously wasn’t an issue for him. He wasn’t a student-athlete in name only. He sincerely had a love of learning and applying that knowledge.
Hall of Fame Lessons
While he would only average 6.6 points per game, Brown flashed his star upside throughout his rookie season. In just his fifth game and first start, he tallied 19 points and three steals against LeBron James’s Cleveland Cavaliers. In the games that he played at least 30 minutes, he averaged 16.3 points per game.
He was raw, but assertive and confident. In the 2017 NBA Playoffs, he solidified himself as a player to watch by going toe-to-toe with James. That offseason, he demonstrated an elite work ethic, more than doubling his scoring average from his rookie year in 2017-18.
By his fourth season, he was averaging 20-plus points per game, his development as a shot-creator and shot-maker due in part to workouts with players like Hall of Fame wing Tracy McGrady.
Even McGrady didn’t have the type of playoff success that Brown has had though.
In nine postseason appearances, T-Mac never made it past the First Round, let alone won a championship. Had he been able to secure a title, particularly with the Orlando Magic or Houston Rockets, he may very well have won Finals MVP. However, he wasn’t the first and won’t be the last All-Star to fall short of those goals.
Saying that Brown didn’t isn’t to downplay anyone’s greatness. Nonetheless, the underdog story —and that’s what Brown’s is —makes his success hit different. Whether he’s embracing a villain role or fans are embracing him, nothing can take away the fact that he’s reached heights that many have dreamed of, but that few have made reality.
Now he’s on a Hall of Fame trajectory himself.
