Getty Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown
On February 25, former Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving shouted out Jaylen Brown for promoting his sneakers during the All-Star Break. The Dallas Mavericks star had nothing but nice things to say about Brown.
Irving thanked Celtics star Jaylen Brown for wearing Irving’s ANTA KAI 1 signature shoe during last Sunday’s All-Star game.
“Shout out to JB,” Irving said, per Dallas Sporting News’ Brad Townsend’s X account. “He is one of my tribal brothers, even closer in the last few years. I am just grateful that he took the opportunity to showcase the KAI 1. Such a selfless act. He’s such a good brother that he’s about the revolution, so I shout out to him. I told him that if they were comfortable, wear them for the game. If not, just put them to the side.”
Irving and Brown were teammates from 2017 to 2019, though their time as teammates was not always pleasant. Though Irving’s tenure with the Celtics did not end well, he and Brown have been on good terms since his departure. Brown’s been a good enough friend that he’s willing to promote his former teammate’s shoes.
Jayson Tatum Wanted Jaylen Brown to Win All-Star MVP
Both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum represented the Celtics at the All-Star Game. Tatum made his fifth appearance at the game, while Brown made his third. Tatum won the All-Star Game MVP in 2023, and according to Bill Simmons, he wanted Brown to take home the same honor in 2024.
On the February 25 episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast,” Simmons gave the full details of how Tatum tried to help Brown get the award.
“At the All-Star Game, when everyone was going for MVP, it hit that point. The East was up 20, so (Damian Lillard) was in there, and (Tyrese) Haliburton and Jaylen Brown were going for it. And Tatum went to (Bucks head coach) Doc Rivers and said, ‘Give Jaylen my minutes. I want to see him win MVP.’ To me, that’s a real dynamic.”
In the end, Lillard won the honor, but stories like these prove how healthy Tatum and Brown’s dynamic is. Even if it’s in a game that means nothing, Tatum wants Brown to get his own accolades.
Jaylen Brown Explains Why Seeding is ‘Pointless’
Beating the Knicks on February 24 puts the Celtics at 45-12, giving them a commanding lead as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. As of February 26, the Celtics are up by seven-and-a-half games on the Cavaliers for the no. 1 seed with 25 games to go. Despite the Celtics’ success, Brown says it doesn’t matter where they place in the regular season.
“When it comes down to the playoffs, none of that stuff really matters,” Brown told reporters, per CLNS Media Boston Sports Network’s YouTube Channel. “I feel like it’s going to be about matchups. It’s going to be about playing hard. Obviously, home court matters, so that is key, but when you get into the thick of it, you got to win basketball games, regardless of what your seed is.”
If the Celtics finish with the No. 1 seed, it would be the first time they have gotten it since 2017. It would also be the first time they would have such seeding since pairing up Tatum and Brown. Brown played on the last Celtics team that finished first, but that was his rookie year, where he was not prominently featured.