Jaylen Brown was busy dropping 21 points on the Toronto Raptors on Thursday night, but little did he know he was simultaneously being anointed a new nickname by King James himself.
The Boston Celtics wing was selected by LeBron James during TNT’s broadcast of the All-Star Draft on Thursday. While making his selection, the Lakers superstar made it a point to toss some well-deserved praise in the direction of Brown.
“With my fourth pick in the second round, I’m gonna go with Jaylen ‘Underappreciated’ Brown,” James said.
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Jaylen Brown Responds to LeBron James’ Take
Following Boston’s fourth consecutive victory, Brown was informed by members of the media that he had been selected to James’ team.
The first-time All-Star responded with a chuckle at the flattering news and new nickname.
“That’s great,” Brown said. “To have one of — if not the — best player select you and point out some of the things you’ve been doing or some of the things he’s seen, is great,” Brown said. “I appreciate him for that.”
Brown, 24, has risen his game leaps and bounds in his fifth NBA season. The former No. 3 overall pick is averaging a career-high 24.7 points per game on 49.5% percent shooting in 2020-21, solidifying himself as one of the league’s prominent mid-range scorers. Furthermore, he’s extended his range, hitting on 38.8% of his 3-point attempts, en route to a 3-point shootout invitation during this weekend’s All-Star festivities. Brown will look to flaunt his shooting touch alongside fellow participant and teammate Jayson Tatum.
JB vs. JT: All-Star 2021
Speaking of Tatum, he and Brown will not only be oppositions in the three-point contest but also come tip-off, as the Celtics forward was selected to Kevin Durant’s All-Star team during Thursday night’s draft.
Brown was asked whether the duo will be wagering over their friendly duel this Sunday, to which the Georgia native responded jokingly, “Hey man, you trying to get me caught up or something? I definitely can’t — there will be no official wagers. But with me and JT everything is definitely a competition. So I’m looking forward to competing and playing and sharing the floor. Just tell him don’t guard me. That’s all I’m going to say.”
If there were a hypothetical wager, it may be worth noting that LeBron James is 3-0 in All-Star games as a captain in the current draft format.
As for Tatum, while he won’t have his typical running mate alongside him come Sunday, he is noticeably pumped to join forces with childhood pal and Washington Wizards star, Bradley Beal.
“I was excited. That’s what I was hoping for,” Tatum said. “Everyone knows how close we are. It’s just a really special moment. Two guys from the same high school, same neighborhood, who kind of grew up together, staring and All-Star game from St. Louis. It don’t get no better than that.”
You can see both All-Star rosters in their entirety below:
- Team LeBron Starters
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Stephen Curry
- Luka Doncic
- Nikola Jokic
- LeBron James
- Team LeBron Reserves
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- Jaylen Brown
- Paul George
- Rudy Gobert
- Damian Lillard
- Chris Paul
- Domantas Sabonis
- Ben Simmons
- Team Durant Starters
- Bradley Beal
- Joel Embiid
- Kyrie Irving
- Kawhi Leonard
- Jayson Tatum
- Team Durant Reserves
- Devin Booker
- James Harden
- Zach Lavine
- Donovan Mitchell
- Julius Randle
- Nikola Vucevic
- Zion Williamson
*Note: Kevin Durant will not play due to injury.
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LeBron James Voices Strong Jaylen Brown Take, Celtics Star Responds