Jaylen Brown’s MVP Case Is No Longer a Whisper - It’s a Shout
Before the 2025-26 NBA season tipped off, the Boston Celtics looked like a team on the ropes. Jayson Tatum, the franchise cornerstone, had gone down with a torn Achilles during the 2025 playoffs - a brutal blow for any contender.
Then came the offseason moves that raised eyebrows across the league: Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were both traded, gutting much of the team’s veteran depth. From the outside, it looked like Boston was headed for a reset, not a run.
But here we are, 40 games into the season, and the Celtics are sitting comfortably in the No. 2 seed in the East with a 27-16 record. And the biggest reason? Jaylen Brown.
This isn’t some out-of-nowhere breakout. Brown’s been a top-tier talent for years - a four-time All-Star with an All-NBA Second Team selection back in 2023.
He’s got an Eastern Conference Finals MVP and even an NBA Finals MVP to his name. But for most of his career, he’s been seen as the Robin to Tatum’s Batman.
A high-level second option, sure, but not the guy.
That narrative’s been flipped on its head.
With Tatum sidelined, Brown hasn’t just stepped into the lead role - he’s owned it. Through 40 games, he’s averaging 29.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per night.
Those are superstar numbers, but more importantly, they’re winning numbers. Brown isn’t just stuffing the stat sheet - he’s dragging Boston to victories in a season that many thought would be lost before it began.
And the league is taking notice.
Brown was recently named an All-Star starter, a nod to just how dominant he’s been. But if you ask Chris Bosh, that’s only the beginning of the recognition Brown deserves.
“Can we give Jaylen Brown some credit?” Bosh said during a recent appearance on NBA Showtime on NBC.
“He should be the MVP. I think he’s the frontrunner in my opinion.”
That’s a bold statement - but not an unreasonable one.
The MVP race is crowded, as always. According to the latest KIA MVP Ladder, Brown currently sits fifth behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Victor Wembanyama.
That’s elite company, and it speaks to just how stacked this year’s field is. But Bosh’s argument has weight: nobody expected Boston to be in this position, and nobody predicted Brown would be putting up these kinds of numbers while leading a retooled roster.
“He’s playing amazing basketball,” Bosh added. “Nobody slotted Boston to be 2nd and Jaylen to be playing the way he is.”
It’s hard to argue with that. Brown’s been the engine, the glue, and the closer for a Celtics team that’s exceeding expectations at every turn. He’s elevated not just his own game, but the play of those around him - a hallmark of true MVP candidates.
And while the road to the award won’t be easy - not with names like Jokic, Luka, and Wemby in the mix - Brown’s case is real. If he keeps this up, it won’t just be Bosh singing his praises. The MVP conversation might have started without him, but Jaylen Brown is making sure it won’t end that way.