Not Being Catered to by the Celtics Made Jaylen Brown’s Early Seasons “Very Challenging”

Jaylen Brown is coming off a career-best season with the Boston Celtics. He helped lead the team to the NBA Finals in 2024, then was named the Finals MVP after they torched the Dallas Mavericks 4-1 in the series. However, Brown’s success in Boston was not something that occurred overnight.

He was drafted by the Celtics in 2016 and received heavy boos from fans from the very beginning of his stint. While he did have a strong rookie and sophomore season, he fell into a slump at the beginning of his third. The Boston Globe even publicly called out the now 28-year-old star for “lacking focus and discipline” during that period.

During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Brown addressed those difficult times, being a regular feature in trade talks. However, the four-time All-Star claimed that not being catered to actually helped him grow as a player.

“Very, very challenging, to be honest,” said Brown regarding his early difficulties with the Celtics. “Things have not gone my way. I haven’t been catered to, in a sense, which has made me stronger. I think it has made me a better player, has driven me. I can complain, but in reality, it made me the best. So I’m grateful for it.”

It’s pretty common for a player, especially one who plays for as prestigious a franchise as the Celtics, to feel isolated by the pressure of success. However, Brown certainly bounced back and won over the Boston faithful.

Brown is now a household name in Boston

Safe to say, Brown has etched his name in the annals of the Celtics’ rich history.

Not only that — Brown passionately gives back to the Beantown community, which has made him even more popular. He founded The 7uice Foundation, which “partners with institutions, organizations and social change leaders to bridge the opportunity gap for youth in traditionally underserved communities.”

Just days ago Brown announced an initiative for Black-owned businesses in the Oakland area, with his overall mission to empower communities of color.