Since the Boston Celtics drafted Jaylen Brown in 2016, he’s come a long way. He’s made three All-Star teams and an All-NBA team. If that’s not enough, the Celtics have made six Eastern Conference Finals and will start their second NBA Finals berth in the last three years.
Brown has played a hand in their consistent success year in and year out. Yet, certain Celtics alumni feel he doesn’t get enough recognition. Ex-Celtic Lamar Stevens had some strong words for his former Celtics teammate. Stevens had the following to say about Brown via his X account.
“JB gotta be the most over looked superstar in the league…i 100% get why he feel this way,” Stevens wrote.
Stevens wrote that in response to Brown admitting that he feels like he doesn’t get enough credit. The two played together for the Celtics during the 2023-24 season before they traded Stevens to the Memphis Grizzlies.
After the Celtics traded Stevens to Memphis, the wing broke out in a bigger role. In 19 games, Stevens averaged 11.5 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 44.6% from the field.
Jaylen Brown Says He’s Over Wanting Admiration
Stevens tweeted this in response to a Celtics video featuring Brown giving his honest thoughts on being underrated. Brown talked about how little appreciation he’s felt he’s gotten as a player.
“For various reasons, I feel like I don’t get the credit or respect that I have earned, and I’m at the point in my life where, just, I don’t give a (expletive). I might never get it, and I’m okay with that,” Brown said.
He included that he’s ready to show those who believe and those who doubt him.
“I am who I am, I do what I do, and I believe what I believe in. So, the ones who with me, let’s rock and roll, and the ones who aren’t can kiss my (expletive) pretty much.”
Because he’s achieved so much, it’s easy to forget that the Celtics’ selection of Brown was divisive at the time. Brown did not come into the league unanimously believed to be a star in the making. He flashed his potential in his rookie season, but he didn’t show much because the Celtics never asked him to.
As his role with the Celtics has grown, Brown has thrived with what they’ve asked of him. He may not get the same shine that Jayson Tatum does, but the Celtics have always shown their faith in him.
Jayson Tatum ‘Thrilled’ for Jaylen Brown, Says Doris Burke
ESPN Analyst Doris Burke pushed back on the narrative that Tatum was envious of Brown winning the 2024 Eastern Conference MVP award.
“I’ve never understood and pushed back as hard as my opportunity would allow on the narratives surrounding this young man,” Burke said of Tatum in a conference call with select media, including Heavy Sports on Monday, June 3. “He’s 26 years old. He’s played, I believe, 102 playoff games with Jaylen Brown. They have achieved an incredible measure of success at 26 and 27 years old.”
Not only that, but Burke believes Tatum can be happy for his teammate and aspire for greatness.
“And I do not believe that it’s mutually exclusive that he can be thrilled that Jaylen Brown was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and still has a level of personal ambition. That’s what pushes that young man to greatness.”
This narrative was rooted in pure conjecture with no objective facts. Burke added that had Tatum, he would have deserved it.
“I don’t believe for one single second [Tatum] was upset that Jaylen won that award. I don’t believe it. And I was a voter, and I can tell you how razor-thin that margin was, and I would not have been wrong if I voted for Jayson Tatum the Eastern Conference MVP. That’s how close that was,” Burke said.
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Ex-Celtic Calls Jaylen Brown NBA’s ‘Most Overlooked Superstar’