Jaylen Brown has steadily improved as a player, this season getting to the point where he could be seriously considered for the All-Star Game. But, according to his coach, Brown’s words and deeds while the NBA has been under suspension — a continuation of his previous off-court work — point to a more important life arc.
Jaylen Brown has steadily improved as a player, this season getting to the point where he could be seriously considered for the All-Star Game.
But, according to his coach, Brown’s words and deeds while the NBA has been under suspension — a continuation of his previous off-court work — point to a more important life arc.
“Jaylen’s greatest impact, as good as he is at basketball, won’t be in basketball,” said Celtic coach Brad Stevens.
Brown has spoken out against injustice and inequality in strong and measured terms in the past, and Saturday in his hometown of Atlanta he led a peaceful protest in the wake of the death of George Floyd in police custody.
“He’s a special guy,” said Stevens of the 23-year-old. “He’s a special leader. He’s smart, but he has courage. He’s got a lot of great stuff to him, and I think we recognized that when we drafted him, but I think that he has been even more unbelievable every day, every year. I’ve always personally really enjoyed listening to him and talking to him about things outside of basketball. He told me he was going down there on Thursday, and obviously I certainly am not surprised by him taking a leadership role. That’s who he is.”
Stevens met with reporters in a video conference Tuesday, and while there is more room now to talk about the game, with the Celtics being allowed to open their practice facility to players and the NBA close to announcing a format for its return from suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic, the nation’s racial issues have taken prominence.
A number of Celtics took part in the peaceful portion of Sunday’s protest gathering in Boston, and others have lent their voices to the cause on social media and elsewhere.
“I think it’s been great,” Stevens said of his players’ participation. “I think, in paying attention from afar but also having individual conversations with everybody on our team and knowing, obviously, what’s happened has been appalling and been brutal and been hurtful and painful… I’ve said this many times: I think the NBA is amazing, and I think our players are amazing.
