Jaylen Brown is setting the record straight about the Boston Celtics' impressive season, and it's all about pride, not perception. Despite the swirling rumors, Brown sees a simpler narrative: a team defying expectations.
In a conversation with CelticsBlog, Brown expressed his pride in the Celtics' performance, contrasting this year's squad with last season's. “We were supposed to be tanking, that was the talk,” Brown shared.
“To be in the top five teams in the league? I'm proud of that.
I'm extremely proud. Ain't nobody can tell me nothing.”
This sentiment underscores the reality of Boston’s season. The Celtics kicked off the year without their star, Jayson Tatum, who’s been sidelined with a ruptured Achilles tendon since the 2025 playoffs. Expectations were low outside the locker room, but Brown never saw this as a lost year.
“Everybody was calling it a gap year,” he said. “How do you go from a gap year to top five in the East?
That's a big jump. That's not a small jump.
People want to skip over that. I'm not gonna let you skip over it.
That is a big deal.”
Boston's offseason saw significant changes: Kristaps Porzingis moved to the Hawks, Jrue Holiday went to the Blazers, and Al Horford left in free agency. With Tatum out, a step back seemed likely, yet here they are, near the top of the Eastern Conference, thanks largely to Brown's elevated play.
Brown is posting a career-high 29.3 points per game, stepping up as both a scorer and playmaker. His leadership has been crucial for a roster in need of stability.
He also keeps Tatum’s recovery in perspective. “If you hear me talk about anything in my most recent streams, I mentioned how proud I am of my team, I mentioned how proud I am of JT's progression,” Brown noted. “It's all that type of stuff.”
Whether Tatum returns this season or not, Boston seems ready to extend its playoff streak. For Brown, this year was never a “gap” - it’s a testament to resilience and growth.