Rapper Ice Cube has been a Los Angeles Lakers fan his entire life and is naturally inclined to root against the Boston Celtics and their players. However, the former N.W.A. member apparently couldn’t help but be enamored by forward Jaylen Brown. During an appearance on The Big Podcast with Shaq, the rap icon explained why he revered the Celtics star so much.
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Ice Cube praised Brown and said that his courage was infectious. The Celtics star is among the handful of NBA stars who haven’t refrained from tackling societal issues.
In 2020, he drove 12 hours to join a protest in Atlanta in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. Last year, he spoke about racism in Boston, a sensitive subject that not many Celtics players would talk about fearing fan backlash.
Undeniably, Brown deserves praise for not shying away from voicing his opinion on tough topics, especially when it’d have been in his best interests not to indulge.
After lauding the Celtics star for his courage, Ice Cube shared his two cents about the forward’s marketability, which became a topic of discussion after analyst Stephen A. Smith brought it up during a segment on First Take. The rapper said,
“Winning is marketable. He’s a winner… I’ve seen guys like Kawhi Leonard, don’t have an exploding personality and he’s marketable. So I believe Jaylen Brown is definitely marketable. And you put a ring on that finger, as Shaq knows, you become even more marketable. It’s really what he does on the court which will open up all those avenues.”
Winning a title and potentially the Finals MVP would undoubtedly help boost Brown’s stock among fans and make him more marketable. However, the Celtics star likely isn’t concerned about growing his endorsement portfolio.
He’s too occupied elevating others with his platform and basketball prowess, as Ice Cube learned firsthand.
Jaylen Brown lends a helping hand to the BIG3
The rapper’s Big3 league primarily features retired NBA stars, however, that changed in 2023 when Brown played during the league’s All-Star Weekend in London. The Celtics star suited up for Team Big in an exhibition game against Team 3 to raise money for a charity called London Youth. He finished the game with nine points, five rebounds and two assists.
Ice Cube was overjoyed about having a star of Brown’s caliber play in a BIG3 event and gave him his flowers on social media with a heartfelt X post, calling him his “hero.”
“Jaylen Brown is my hero. He’s making a humongous statement by being the first current NBA player to play in a BIG3 game. By suiting up for our All Star game tomorrow, he’s doing everything in his power to help the league succeed. Salute. Forever grateful…”
It’s hard to fathom a lifelong Lakers fan like Ice Cube rooting for a Celtics star. However, Jaylen Brown’s impeccable impact on and off the court has undoubtedly won over many who would’ve sworn they’d never support a player suiting up for Boston.
