Every NBA superstar is at some point asked this question: “Who is the hardest player you’ve ever had to guard?” The response will always vary depending on the position of the player or the era that the player competed in. Jaylen Brown was asked this question recently during an interview with Ahmad Rashad. His answer isn’t surprising.
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JB is having a lights-out season for Boston, carrying them to the No. 2 seed in the East despite his teammate, Jayson Tatum, being out for a large majority of it. His resume includes five All-Star votes, one NBA Championship, and was named Finals MVP in the aforementioned championship run. Suffice to say, his word means a lot.
So Brown didn’t beat around the bush. In fact, he gave two answers because they relay different pieces of information. “The best player is probably LeBron James,” Jaylen told Rashad during their interview. However, that was not technically the question that was asked. JB instead revealed that he thinks the most difficult player to guard is one Stephen Curry.
“The hardest player is probably Steph Curry because you just have to do a lot of running,” admitted JB. Rashad couldn’t help but add on. “And shots from 900 feet are like a lay-up for him,” he joked, which made the Celtics superstar crack a smile.
Take a look at Jaylen Brown talking to Ahmad Rashad about the toughest players he’s ever guarded
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This lines up perfectly with what Steph said the other day on what his favorite compliment to get from defenders during games is: “Yo, stop moving so much.” It’s a testament to how fit he still is in his late-30s and he uses his off-ball movement as a barimeter for how effective he can be in relation to his age.
That’s why you often see smart defenders like Brown cutting off Steph at every turn. Ball denial defense is necessary because once Curry gets space, it’s all over, at least for that possession. Brown in particular, has stepped up his defensive play this season more than anything else. It’s a big reason why he and the C’s are knocking on the door of the Pistons, who still hold the top spot in the East.
And it’s no knock on LeBron really. James is a totally different type of scorer. He drives the lane like a freight train and is almost impossible to stop once he starts moving downhill. He has the ability to shoot the trey, but obviously, not as effectively as The Chef. There’s a reason that JB felt the necessity to mention both guys.
Regardless, Brown showing love to The Chef and The King only show his evolution as a player. He knows that to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the only way to do that is to acknowledge a player as superior. All season long b-ball fans have been enamored by JB stepping up as the leader of the Celtics. And if they manage to return to the Conference Finals, soon he’ll have other players naming him as the hardest to guard.
