The seemingly bad conditions were perfect forJaylen Brown.
The Celtics were left for dead after Jayson Tatum suffered a torn Achilles last postseason. Then they lost Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford from the 2024 championship team. They were expected to have a gap year. No one thought they’d be competitive.
But what was overlooked in all of this is Brown’s superpower: The more he’s discounted, the more he thrives.
Brown has led a team that was supposed to tank to second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 37-19. The Celtics are one of the NBA’s biggest surprises of the season. And Brown is one of the most notable success stories.
Only one person saw this coming.
“I always knew I was one of the best players in the world,” Brown told the California Post in an exclusive interview after theCeltics beat the Lakerson Sunday,111-89. “I always felt like that. And on top of that, the opportunity presented itself because we got guys that got traded and injured. So, I’m just grateful to be able to have great teammates that allow me to lead them.”
Brown loves proving people wrong. It’s how he has made a name for himself in the league.
When Celtics fans booed him after the franchise selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 draft, he transformed himself into a star. When pundits questioned whether he deserved the then-richest contract in NBA history in July 2023 (a supermax worth up to $304 million over five years), he responded by carrying Boston to a championship in 2024 and winning Finals MVP.
And when everyone crossed off the Celtics, he circled them, transforming his game to a new level.
This season, he’s averaging career-highs in points (29.2), rebounds (7) and assists (4.9). Heading into the All-Star break, he led the Celtics to have the same seeding (second) and net rating (third) that they had last year at that time.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
