Category: Politics and activism

Jaylen Brown opens up about his activism and ruffling feathers as a Boston Celtic

“There (are) multiple experiences,” said Brown, citing his perspective as an activist, athlete, and citizen.

When it comes to using his platform as a star NBA player for causes he believes in, Jaylen Brown has no illusions about the sort of friction it can cause him. But for Brown, speaking in a recent interview with the New York Times’ Sopan Deb, that friction is a worthwhile price to pay for the good he can do in his personal battle against inequality in education and society writ large.

The Boston Celtics star revealed that for all the work he and his peers in the league have done combatting structural and overt racism, he has seen little in the way of substantive change for Black Americans.

“I have not seen it, to be honest,” said Brown. “I think the issue is more systemic.”

Jayen Brown turns to Celtics great Bill Russell when the balance of basketball and advocacy gets tough

“To be able to have this six on (my) jersey means the world to me,” shared Brown of the Celtics great’s influence on his life.

Star Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown has not always found balancing his interests in off-court advocacy with the rigors of an NBA season easy, but he only has to look at his own jersey for inspiration in those moments.

Brown is of course not basking in his own glory but rather turning to the example of the man represented by the No. 6 patch on his and every Celtics jersey this season, emblematic of Celtics and civil rights icon Bill Russell after he passed this past July. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Slam’s Deyscha Smith, the Georgia native explained his connection to Russell’s memory.

“To be able to have this six on (my) jersey means the world to me,” shared Brown.

Joe Mazzulla offers prayer for family of Tyre Nichols, city of Memphis

Joe Mazzulla offered prayer and grief for the family of Tyre Nichols and the city of Memphis prior to Boston’s game Saturday night.

Every Boston Celtics home game head coach Joe Mazzulla addresses the media 100 minutes before tip-off. On Saturday night ahead of a tilt against the team’s biggest rival the Los Angeles Lakers, Mazzulla’s thoughts were far from basketball.

“On behalf of the Celtics organization,Ā and my family in particular, I want to pray for Tyre Nichols,” Mazzulla said to begin his press conference, unprovoked. The killing of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, has sent shockwaves around the country in recent weeks. Nichols was brutally beaten by five police officers according to recently released police video. Nichols died three days later.

Mazzulla offered condolences and prayers for the city of Memphis and Nichols’ mother Rowvaughn Wells and offered perspective on the entire affair.

ESPN’s Monica McNutt would take Malcolm Brogdon over John Wall in hypothetical pickup squad

“I am so excited to see him back playing ball and healthy but Iā€™ve always loved Malcolm Brogdon,” said McNutt.

If you ask ESPN’s Monica McNutt who she would pick between Boston Celtics super sixth man Malcolm Brogdon and Los Angeles Clippers reserve floor general John Wall, the answer is easy.

“Brogdon — and I love John Wall,” replied McNutt in a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson on his semi-eponymous “Scoop B Radio” podcast where RobinsonĀ did ask her that question.

“I am so excited to see him back playing ball and healthy but Iā€™ve always loved Malcolm Brogdon,” McNutt offered. “Malcolm Brogdon, Jalen Brunson, Mike Conley, Jrue Holiday (to a degree) — no flash, all ball.”

“They can hit you at all three levels; maybe not an elite 3-point shooter but if you leave him open, they will do the damage.”

“Those are my favorite types of point guard,” explained McNutt. “I donā€™t need any flash. Even Chris Paul in the second part of his career; I donā€™t need a whole bunch of dynamic explosions.”

“I need you to get us into our offense, finish and hit me when Iā€™m ready to shoot the ball,” she closed. “Simple.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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TD Garden to host basketball-themed inauguration party for Healey, Driscoll team

Former hoopers Governor-elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll will hold an inauguration celebration at Boston’s TD Garden.

Massachusetts Governor-elect Maura Healey and Lieutenant Governor-elect Kim Driscoll will become the first all-women state executive team in US history when the two are inaugurated on January 5. The duo will celebrate with a basketball-inspired afterparty at Boston’s TD Garden, according to a recent press release.

The theme of the night will be “Moving the Ball Forward,” an homage to the role basketball plays for both Healey and Driscoll. Driscoll, the out-going mayor of Salem, MA, played and then later coached for the Salem State Vikings

Governor-elect Healey, meanwhile, served as the captain for her Harvard basketball team and played professionally in Europe for a short while. She talked about her ongoing connection to the sport and the Boston Celtics on a recent visit to the Celtics Lab Podcast.

Celtics president Brad Stevens speaks on Jaylen Brown’s recent entanglements in Ye, Kyrie scandals

Stevens’ interlocutor, the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, has a bone to pick with Brown regardless.

Star Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is no stranger to using his platform for good but has recently found some of his social media activity under scrutiny for ties to people promoting hateful views. This caught the attention of Boston Globe sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy, who wrote that he has “no interest in reading or hearing (Brown’s) well-intentioned words promoting social justice and spreading love” after the incidents in question.

“Youā€™ve had three chances in the last month to denounce antisemitism and in each instance, you balked or chose to support your misguided friends, Kanye West, a.k.a ā€œYe,ā€ and Kyrie Irving,” added the Globe reporter.

For clarity, Shaughnessy refers to the scandal that enveloped Ye after making antisemitic comments on social media, and Irving’s sharing of an antisemitic video he has since disavowed support for the hateful sentiments it contains.

Celtics’ Jaylen Brown plans to focus on basketball after video retweet row

“You do the best you can and balance everything,” suggested the Cal alum. “Regardless of what you say, some people are going to disagree or already form an opinion.”

You might not have noticed given how well the Boston Celtics have been playing, but off-court issues have impacted Jaylen Brown enough that the Georgia native feels it has begun to impact his play. “Iā€™ve just been careless with the ball,” he related after Boston’s win over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday via CLNS Media. “Thereā€™s been a lot going on outside of basketball.”

As a vice president of the Players’ union, it’s been Brown’s job to support fellow NBPA VP Kyrie Irving, who embroiled himself in scandal by retweeting an antisemitic video. Brown later claimed to have mistakenly retweeted a clip of a group who came to Barclay’s center to pass out antisemitic propaganda under the pretense of supporting Irving, who has since disavowed support for their antisemitic views.

“You do the best you can and balance everything,” suggested the Cal alum. “Regardless of what you say, some people are going to disagree or already form an opinion.”

“So, you come out, you do what Iā€™ve been doing, trying to uplift my community, spreading kindness, spreading love, trying to be the best version of myself, but also help any and everybody around me,” he explained.

“Thatā€™s what Iā€™ve been since I came into this league, and thatā€™s what I’m going to continue to do — focusing on that and taking care of basketball and everything just falls in line.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Jaylen Brown responds to criticism of tweet which appears to support Black Hebrew Israelites

The Celtics wing said he ‘was not aware’ of who the group was in the clip he retweeted.

Just when the furor over star Brooklyn Nets point guard Kyrie Irving seemed to be dying down after the mercurial floor general became poised to return to the court after having satisfied his team that he took accountability for his actions which promoted an antisemitic film, Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown appears to have picked up that problematic baton.

The Georgia native retweeted a clip on Sunday afternoon which was originally shared by Twitter user @PlainJaneDee_ that showed a large crowd of Black Hebrew Israelites, a number of which were distributing propaganda flyers for the Radical Hebrew Israelite sect, who are characterized as a hate group by the SPLC.

The clip was also retweeted by Hall of Fame guard Isiah Thomas, since deleted.

Celtics star Jayen Brown opens up on his meeting with Boston civil rights pioneer Jean McGuire

“It was amazing,” said Brown. “I wasnā€™t familiar with her before and the things that sheā€™s done in her career in education and civil rights.”

Boston Celtics star wing Jaylen Brown has long been a champion of using his platform as an NBA player to promote education as a means to help underserved communities and individuals. Speaking at Harvard, working with MIT’s Media Lab and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Program, and even giving TED Talks to such an end since joining the NBA in 2016.

Brown’s interest in the spaces where the fight against structural racism and other forms of inequity meet opportunities through education taking root in the city of Boston has been an ongoing affair since the Celtics selected him third overall in that year’s draft.

And after hearing about how local education advocate and civil rights pioneer Jean McGuire was the subject of a brutal attack on her usual walk in Franklin Park, the Celtics star made a point of connecting with McGuire to learn more about her efforts to promote education in the greater Boston area.

Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon to receive Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for Respect

The former Indiana Pacers guard broke down what motivated him to get involved with the efforts, and how much of an honor the recognition for those efforts garnered.

New Boston Celtics point guard Malcolm Brogdon is set to be honored for his foundation’s work in Tanzania and around the globe with the Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Respect Award. The head of the eponymous Brogdon Family Foundation, the Celtics floor general works at creating increased access to clean water and good education for all in the areas it works.

Brogdon recently linked up with team reporter Amanda Pflugrad to talk about the work his organization did that earned him the honor from the foundation of Boxing great Muhammad Ali.

The former Indiana Pacers guard broke down what motivated him to get involved with the efforts, and how much of an honor the recognition for those efforts garnered.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear all Brogdon had to say about the award and what went into being tabbed for the honor.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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