Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown has truly grown into a larger-than-life figure in his fourth season with the team, becoming a leader not just among his fellow Celtics or even in the NBA, but in his country and world.
In one of the most challenging moments in modern history, the Cal-Berkeley product helped lead his team to the brink of an NBA Finals appearance in a season assumed to be a “bridge year” by many.
He advocated caution in the midst of a pandemic when many were still cavalier; he pushed to protect the health of his fellow players in crafting an ingenuous solution to the pandemic itself, and he helped leverage that moment to provide critical support in the ongoing push for racial equity.
In short, he is a remarkable human being.
Team president Danny Ainge said as much when the topic of conversation with the press on the 2019-20 season on Thursday touched on Brown’s impact on the season, and Ainge was equally effusive in his praise of the young wing.
WATCH: Jaylen Brown’s best plays vs. Miami in the East Finals https://t.co/fQZ0aFqbVk
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 2, 2020
“I’ve said this a few times about Jaylen. He’s an impressive young man, and I’m really proud of him [and] how his game has developed from the time I met him,” began Ainge. “I’m not surprised.”
“Nobody would be surprised that he has become the voice of our locker room, the voice of our organization. He’s in meetings with our owners, and with [Director of Player Development] Allison Feaster, and with [Vice President of Community Engagement] Dave Hoffman, organizing the plans for social justice, so he is special. I knew that from the first time I met him, and I’m not surprised. But I’m also not surprised with the progress that he’s made as a player and how good a player he’s become before our eyes.”
“I think he’s ready to take on bigger roles, bigger opportunities, and I couldn’t be happier to have him on Boston Celtics and, and be with him at this time of his career,” he added.
Danny Ainge gives update on Kemba Walker’s first season, knee health https://t.co/dlGoFWTRtB
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 2, 2020
Jaylen Brown is an extraordinary basketball player, and we are lucky to have him in this league — nevermind on the Celtics.
And he is so much more than just a basketball player.
In an era of pundits telling athletes to “shut up and dribble,” Brown is leading a new generation of Americans, asking them to join him in standing up for their rights.
