Getty Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown on the court at TD Garden during a 2021 game against the Denver Nuggets.
Thanks to an untimely wrist injury, Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has been in offseason mode since early May. However, the 2021 NBA All-Star’s summer break really started to heat up on Thursday.
Of course, facing the proverbial fires of Hades with a shot to win fat stacks of charity cash is a surefire way to raise the temperature.
Brown made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live — which was being guest-hosted by Anthony Anderson — ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Phoenix Suns and the Milwaukee Bucks. Instead of chatting it up, though, the Celtics’ ascendant star was there to put his jumper to the test in an effort to win funds for his foundation.
He wasn’t shooting on an ordinary basketball standard, though.
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Brown Takes on the “Hell Hoop”
Brown’s task was simple during his spot on Kimmel: make one shot from the top of the key in three tries and he would win a cool $25,000 for the charity of his choice. In this case, that meant his own charity, the 7uice Foundation.
Despite the fact that Brown is coming off a year in which he averaged 24.7 points per contest and knocked down 39.7% of his three-point shots, though, making good on the opportunity was going to be tough. To get the scratch, he was going to have to defeat the “Hell Hoop.”
A slew of inflated defenders wiggled and waved dramatically before him, the entire backboard was on an awkward, circular rotation and a pair of smoke machines were blasting loudly at the foul line as he lined up his shots. All the while, a crowd of noisy fans were sitting a few steps to his side.
Brown did his best to consider the timing and angles involved with the insanity unfolding before him. However, his first two shots clanged off of an erratically moving rim.
His third shot, though, caught a friendly bounce off of the front of the rim and fell through the net for a made bucket. For his efforts, Brown was presented with a creepy clown doll to go along with his charity winnings.
After the segment aired, Brown made sure to flex on Twitter. “Too Easy,” he wrote. “Make it a little harder next time.”
Brown’s 7uice Foundation at a Glance
Through his 7uice Foundation, Brown has aimed to positively impact the lives of at-risk children and young adults in the greater Boston area. Operating on the belief that “education and healthy living in a collaborative environment” is key to the development and growth of young people, the foundation engages in a number of educational, athletic and social programs.
Its partners include the AJ Bouye Foundation, the Boston-area Boys & Girls Club, the Brookline Education Foundation, the Brookline Teen Center and a number of other organizations.
Brown won the 2020 NBA Community Assist Award for his impact on society.
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