Jaylen Brown has been one of the best forwards in the NBA for nearly a decade.
The former Cal star is currently in the middle of his 10th season (all with the Boston Celtics).
Despite being without Jayson Tatum (and other key players on their 2024 title team), Brown has kept the Celtics among the elite in the Eastern Conference.
Tracy McGrady Makes Feelings Clear About Boston Celtics Star Jaylen Brown
Recently, NBA legend Tracy McGrady spoke about why Brown is an MVP candidate (h/t Celtics on CLNS).
McGrady: “What he had to go through losing Jrue Holiday, losing Al Horford, Porzingis, Jayson Tatum is out and then you bring in a new cast of guys in and try to get them acclimated with everything you guys are doing. You’re playing both sides of the ball, you’re averaging 28, 29 points. Third in the Eastern Conference.”
Brown is currently averaging 29.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 48.3% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range in 49 games.
He was the third pick in the 2016 NBA Draft after one year of college basketball.
Via @ADiffConvo: “Let’s have a Different Conversation Jaylen Brown is the most underrated player in today’s NBA. No love for being Finals MVP, carrying this Boston Celtics team to a 2 seed at AS break, or being a 29 ppg player and great defense. All with a team that constantly looks like this”
Right now, the Celtics are the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 35-19 record in 54 games.
They have gone 7-3 over their last ten.
Following the All-Star break, the Celtics will resume action on Thursday when they visit Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Brown said (via Taylor Snow): “I’m extremely proud of our group, where we’re at. Second in the East vs how many players (we lost) and everything that was being said – the ‘gap year.’ For us to be sitting here at All-Star break and having our guys feeling like we could even be better, I’m proud.”
The Celtics are coming off a season where they lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs (in six games).
Since Brown was drafted, the Celtics have won one title, made the NBA Finals twice (and reached the Eastern Conference finals six times).
His career averages are 19.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 47.9% from the field and 35.8% from three-point range in 652 games.
