Jaylen Brown Takes Leadership Initiative Before Celtics Training Camp
The Boston Celtics made Jaylen Brown last season's highest-paid NBA player, ever, before the three-time All-Star was named MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals. Now with a chance to co-lead a repeat run as a reigning champion, the 27-year-old isn't getting nonchalant.
Brown made an early appearance at Auerbach Center, the team's practice facility, to get some work in on Wednesday, roughly a week before the Celtics officially open up their training camp next Tuesday. Boston youngsters JD Davison, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh along with returning veterans Xavier Tillman and Al Horford were among those in attendance eagerly preparing for the 2024-25 season. The appearance wasn't as surprising considering Brown did insinuate an uptick in motivation came to life once he was snubbed from USA Basketball's roster once an opening -- via Kawhi Leonard's departure -- provided an opportunity to partake in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I'm super fired up," Brown told reporters during Summer League in Las Vegas, per CLNS Media. "I got all the motivation in the world to just come out and improve so I love it, honestly. ... I've already talked to Al and talked to some of the guys to see when they get back in the gym."
Boston's demonstrated its championship-committed culture in a multitude of ways, which started once current majority owner Wyc Grousbeck spared no expense and allocated over $630 million on top of Brown's $286 million extension signed last summer. That nearly $1 billion in combined extensions ensured that Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White -- the team's go-to starting lineup -- would stick around long enough to reward the franchise with multiple titles. So far, the Celtics proved themselves by winning a league-leading 64 games in the regular season and making easy work of their 16-3 playoff run en route to securing Banner 18. Now, Brown is continuing the demonstration of that commitment, putting aside any of the offseason distractions to focus on the greater goal in mind moving forward: Banner 19.
Brown stood strong at the forefront of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla's team-first identity transformation, averaging his fewest shot attempts (17.9) in the last four seasons and also logging a career-high 3.6 assists through 70 games. Being treated like an afterthought by Steve Kerr, Grant Hill, Erik Spoelstra and the rest of USA Basketball's coaching staff didn't sit well with Brown, however, no beef with Nike or those still counting out the All-NBA Second Team guard has discouraged Brown yet.
Boston's revenge mission, led by Brown and Tatum, officially begins on Oct. 22 at TD Garden after the banner is raised and the championship rings are distributed.