Jaylen Brown has spent the first half of the 2025-26 NBA season rewriting the narrative around his game-and he’s doing it with authority. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, Brown hasn’t just held down the fort for the Boston Celtics-he’s taken the keys, floored the gas, and turned the Celtics into a high-powered machine sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Through 40 games, Brown is averaging 29.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, while shooting an efficient 48.8% from the field and 36.4% from deep. Those are eye-popping numbers, but what makes them even more impressive is how he’s doing it-taking on the toughest defensive assignments, creating offense in the halfcourt, and becoming one of the most reliable mid-range scorers in the league.
That’s not hyperbole. Brown’s mid-range game has been surgical this season.
Whether it’s attacking off the dribble, pulling up over defenders, or navigating tight space in isolation, he’s found a rhythm that few in the league can match. He’s forcing defenses to pick their poison-and more often than not, they’re picking wrong.
And now, the MVP conversation is starting to get louder. ESPN’s Shams Charania recently joined The Pat McAfee Show and didn’t hesitate to throw Brown’s name into the mix, citing Boston’s standing in the East and Brown’s elevated role in Tatum’s absence.
“You have to give Jaylen Brown a lot of credit,” Charania said. “You think about MVP candidates-he has to be up there.”
It’s hard to argue. The Celtics are once again a force in the East, and Brown has been the driving engine behind their success. He’s already earned a starting spot in this year’s All-Star Game, and if his current trajectory holds, an All-NBA selection feels inevitable.
There’s still room for growth-particularly in late-game free-throw shooting-but that’s a minor blemish on what’s shaping up to be a career-defining season. Brown has evolved into a complete two-way threat, and he’s doing it under the bright lights and high expectations of Boston, a city that demands excellence.
Of course, the MVP race is stacked. He’s going head-to-head with some of the best seasons we’ve seen from elite names around the league.
But if Brown continues to produce at this level-and the Celtics keep stacking wins-it’s going to be hard to keep him out of the conversation. He’s not just filling in for Tatum; he’s building a case that this team is just as much his as anyone’s.
One thing’s clear: Jaylen Brown isn’t waiting for recognition-he’s earning it, every night, on both ends of the floor.