Getty Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics celebrates after scoring against the Golden State Warriors.
Though recent rumors may have fans believing Jaylen Brown is dissatisfied with the Boston Celtics, his recent words on the matter seem to counter any such notions.
After having been rewarded the 2022-23 Red Auerbach Award–an honor bestowed to the player who “best exhibits excellence on and off the court each year and exemplifies the spirit and meaning of what it means to be a Boston Celtic,” as per the team’s official definition–, the two-time All-Star discussed his feelings on receiving such a moniker, and shared how much he has given both to the organization and well as the city of Boston itself.
“I’ve put my everything into this team, I’ve put my everything into this city, into this organization since I’ve been here. To get that award, I thought meant a lot. I was grateful,” Brown said.
“I’ve put my everything into this team, I’ve put my everything into this city, into this organization since I’ve been here. To get that award, I thought meant a lot.”
Jaylen Brown on winning the Red Auerbach award
Since being drafted by the Boston Celtics back in 2016, Jaylen Brown has made it his mission to make an impact both on and off the hardwood.
With his platform, the 26-year-old has become a highly present and impactful voice in the fight against social and racial injustice.
Most recently, back in late March, he, along with teammates Malcolm Brogdon and Grant Williams, met with Justice Department officials at the White House to discuss the current state of social justice and criminal justice reform while on a road trip to face off against the Washington Wizards.
On the court, he has been equally as impactful as he has been off of it.
Now in his seventh season in the NBA, Jaylen Brown is putting forth career-best numbers virtually all across the board, as he’s boasting averages of 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.1% from the field.
Depth is ‘Biggest Strength’ For Celtics
Though having the likes of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum headlining this roster is certainly a sight to behold, they alone are by no means what makes this Boston Celtics club a championship favorite.
Following their April 5 win over the Toronto Raptors, veteran big man Mike Muscala discussed how this team’s “biggest strength” is their roster depth.
“I think it’s our biggest strength,” Muscala said. “It’s a really deep team. So, like you said, to be shorthanded and have guys that can rest on back-to-backs, since I’ve been here, it seems like it’s been good for the team.”
Muscala stated this after finding himself earning his third start as a member of the Celtics with Al Horford and Jayson Tatum both ruled out for their game against Toronto.
In his spot star, the big man registered 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists in 31 minutes while shooting 66.7% from the field and 60% from deep.
Malcolm Brogdon Dishes on Initial Celtics Expectations
Malcolm Brogdon’s first season with the Celtics has been a highly successful one, both from an individual as well as an overall team perspective.
The veteran point guard discussed his initial expectations upon joining the club this past offseason during his post-game media session on Wednesday night and that stated while he had no real clue as to how things would ultimately play out during his inaugural season, he did expect that he’d be a quality fit for this win-now team.
“You know, I didn’t know what it would be like,” Brogdon said. “I knew I’d be coming off the bench. The Celtics, Brad [Stevens] they were very upfront about that…and I was all for it, I am all for it and I knew it would be a very fluid situation. For me, it’s about understanding that, embracing it, and continuing to embrace it for 82 games and in the playoffs. I feel that’s what I’ve done. That’s what I’ve tried to do to the best of my ability. As far as the rest of the team, as far as us being successful, this is exactly what I thought. I thought I’d be coming to a championship team, that’s what we have here. So we got to keep pushing. We’re trending in the right direction and [we’re] exactly where we want to be.”
Malcolm Brogdon on how his expectations of being a part of the Celtics has matched up with his experience this season 🗣️
Through 67 games played, Brogdon is posting impressive per-game averages of 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field and 44.4% from distance.
With his efforts, the veteran guard is currently in a two-way race between him and New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley for the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award, and honor head coach Joe Mazzulla recently endorsed him for.