Tag: Jaylen Brown

Here’s what Jaylen Brown told Deion Sanders during UCB visit with Colorado alum Derrick White

Jaylen Brown was able to have a quick conversation with head coach Deion Sanders while visiting the University of Colorado with his teammate Derrick White.

The Boston Celtics and the NBA may be abuzz with stories and excitement from the league’s annual media day and the opening of training camps this week, but football season is already in full swing across the country, and perhaps the biggest story in North American sports at the moment is the University of Colorado football team under head coach Deion Sanders.

The former NFL great has brought his specific brand of razzle dazzle to college football, and the Colorado Buffalos have been appointment viewing all season long. Over the weekend, UCB alum Derrick White took his Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown out to Boulder to see a game live. Brown later recounted the experience during Boston’s media day this Monday.

“Yeah, who would have thought? Boulder Colorado,” Brown said “Went to the game, it was a 10 a.m. game. I’m with White, met up with him on campus.”

Boston’s Jaylen Brown hints at interest in playing for Team USA at 2024 Tokyo Olympics

“Playing for USA Basketball, there is no greater honor,” said Brown.

While he might not have joined teammate Jayson Tatum on LeBron James‘ short list of potential Team USA members for the 2024 Paris Olympics, All-NBA Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown remains one of the best options out there to boost the US National Team’s odds of getting revenge for a flop at the 2023 FIBA World Cup — and more importantly, Brown would be into such an opportunity.

“Playing for USA Basketball, there is no greater honor,” explained the Georgia native at the Celtics’ 2023 Media Day proceedings via NBC Sports Boston. “Playing for your country is definitely — coming from where I come from, where a majority of our demographic comes from — having the opportunity to represent your community … and the people who support you, I think that is a part of it as well.”

“Being able to participate would be great,” added Brown.

Given the Cal alum has a pre-existing relationship with Team USA, we think it probable that Brown will be in the mix to make the 2024 US Olympic Team, but there is always a chance positional necessity could bump a player even of his stature off the squad.

But with Brown already making a case for his enthusiastic participation, we think that the All-NBA forward ought to make the roster over other candidates on the wing who have yet to make their feelings known publicly

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The starting lineup for the Celtics after trading for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis is amazing

This team looks very tough to beat.

The Boston Celtics have had a busy offseason, officially trading for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.

Boston had to trade Marcus Smart, Robert Williams and Malcolm Brogdon to make these deals happen. But now that the season is approaching, this is one of the most talented teams in the league and can easily contend with anyone in the Eastern Conference.

First and foremost, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics now easily have one of the best defensive units in the NBA.

White (97th percentile), Holiday (95th percentile), Porzingis (87th percentile), Brown (83rd percentile) and Tatum (77th percentile) all ranked in the 75th percentile or better in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (dEPM) last season.

Everyone in that starting lineup has a wingspan between 6-foot-7 (Holiday) and 7-foot-6 (Porzingis) and that makes them a tough matchup.

Additionally, every player in the first five is a capable shooter who can space the floor. That will make life a lot easier for Tatum and Brown as the primary offensive engines.

Here is the projected starting lineup for the Celtics (with Al Horford as the first player coming off the bench):

Who will back up Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown next season?

Which of Boston’s many new wings will earn the right to back up the Jays this season?

The Boston Celtics signed reserve forward Oshae Brissett to replace now Dallas Mavericks swingman Grant Williams, while backups Svi Mykhailiuk, Lamar Stevens, Dalano Banton, and rookie Jordan Walsh joined as wings alongside forward Sam Hauser to try to back up All-NBA wings Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Can Hauser retain his position next season with so many hungry mouths to feed, will a new wing emerge in his place, or will 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and reserve guard Payton Pritchard dominate the second unit minutes with staggered starters filling in?

CLNS Media reporter Bobby Manning broke down what each wing brings to the table in a recent episode of the “Garden Report” podcast.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear who he thinks will emerge as regular parts of the Celtics’ backcourt and wing rotations in their 2023-24 campaign.

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Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett spotted at USC-Colorado game

The success of D-White’s alma mater under coach Deion Sanders has drawn a sizable Celtics contingent.

With the Boston Celtics‘ official Media Day proceedings set to kick off this Monday, October 2, there is not a lot of time for current Celtics players to squeeze in just a little more fun ahead of the hard work ahead of them to prepare for another run at the long-coveted Banner 18. But retired Celtics alumni have no such rush ahead of them as both were sighted at Saturday’s NCAA college football showdown between USC and Deion Sanders’ Colorado which featured a sizable contingent of current and former Boston players in attendance.

Among them was Colorado alum Derrick White, who has been enjoying the resurgence of his alma mater on the gridiron under Sanders, along with All-NBA teammate Jaylen Brown.

Also in attendance was a pair of Hall of Fame Celtics, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, who were filmed making an appropriate-sized entrance by Showtime Basketball.

Brown posted that White has him “on the CU Wave today” as he and his floor general took in the tilt from luxury boxes while the pair managed to find some R&R ahead of the grind to come.

It seems White and Brown even bumped into a fan of sorts.

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What was the Boston Celtics’ biggest mistake of the 2023 NBA offseason?

Was it their bold decision to deal away veteran point guard Marcus Smart for star big man Kristaps Porzingis? Or the choice to walk away from the version of that trade that had Malcolm Brogdon in Smart’s place?

What was the Boston Celtics’ biggest mistake of the 2023 NBA offseason? Was it their bold decision to deal away veteran point guard Marcus Smart for star big man Kristaps Porzingis? Or the choice to walk away from the version of that trade that had Malcolm Brogdon in Smart’s place?

Was it Boston’s move to not bring back reserve forward Grant Williams? Or perhaps the decision to extend Porzingis even before he played a single game with the team, or the ball club giving star forward Jaylen Brown a supermax contract extension. With such a busy offseason for the Celtics, one can easily point to any number of such moves as Boston’s worst of the offseason and at least have a case to make.

The folks behind the Hoops Reference YouTube channel recently put together a comprehensive list of the worst moves made by every team in the East during the 2023 offseason, including the Celtics.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear their takes.

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Celtics rookie Jordan Walsh credits Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown for setting tone ahead of training camp

“To have them there to set that example for guys like me, first year in the league, it means a lot for sure,” said Walsh.

If you are wondering what the vibe is at the Boston Celtics‘ training facility as they get ready for the 2023-24 NBA season, ask rookie Celtics wing Jordan Walsh. Speaking at a court refurbishment dedication event in Worcester, Walsh opened up about how early workouts had been going.

“(Head coach) Joe (Mazzulla) said it best (…),” he explained via CLNS Media. “Having (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown there, for them to set that foundation of hard work this early when they obviously don’t have to be here, but they choose to be here because they want to win a championship — to have them there to set that example for guys like me, first year in the league, it means a lot for sure.”

“It builds the culture for the Celtics community to where we’re all focused on winning and working hard,” he added.

And while the radio silence and conspicuous absence of the NBA’s 2023 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon remains an unresolved concern from the outside, Walsh’s glimpse into the days ahead of training camp reflects the sort of focus one wants from a team with designs on contention.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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How do the best players break a shooting slump? Ask Lethal Shooter

Lethal Shooter breaks down how he helps Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown and the rest of the NBA’s best players work through a shooting slump.

What should you do when you can’t hit the broadside of a barn with your shot some days? Chris Matthews, also known as “Lethal Shooter,” has the answer. In a recent interview with the folks behind the Heat Check YouTube channel, Matthews breaks down how he helps Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown and the rest of the NBA’s best players work through a shooting slump.

He also explains the importance of tailoring workouts to individual players based on their playing style and system.  The interview also touches on Matthews’ own basketball skills, where he modestly describes himself as a catch-and-shoot player. Lethal Shooter notes that in today’s NBA, shooters who create their shots, like Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry, are considered the best.

To hear more from the Association’s most popular shooting coach, check out the clip embedded below.

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Celtics’ Jaylen Brown cracks HoopsHype’s top five of NBA shooting guards list

“Brown has established himself as one of the best 2-guards in the NBA,” writes H/H.

In another edition of their annual NBA #RankingSeason exercise ranking players across the league by position, author Frank Urbina gives us H/H’s assessment of the best shooting guards in the league for the soon-to-arrive 2023-24 season. Another Boston Celtics star — Jaylen Brown — made the cut for this list, though he did happen to represent the Celtics as an All-NBA selection as a forward.

Not one to quibble when accolades are involved (truth be told he plays plenty of 2 guard), let’s hear why Urbina pegged Brown as the fourth-best shooting guard in the Association for 2023-24. “An All-NBAer for the first time in his career last season (Second Team), … Brown parlayed that honor into receiving the largest contract in NBA history this summer, one worth five years and $304 million,” writes the H/H analyst.

“Whether Brown sees that entire contract through as a Boston Celtics player remains to be seen but even so, the former Cal Golden Bear earned his money by blossoming into an elite shot-maker and one of the best wing defenders in the NBA.”

“His ball handling leaves a whole lot to be desired, however, as was exposed by Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, something Brown will have to continue to work at if he’s to reach an even higher level of player,” offers Urbina.

“Even as is, though, Brown has established himself as one of the best 2-guards in the NBA.”

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Pincus: Notion that Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum still can’t play together ‘doesn’t pass the smell test’

Despite what Pat Bev thinks, the consensus seems to be trending in the other direction.

For several seasons, fans of the Boston Celtics have grown quite tired of hearing that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the team’s two All-NBA forwards can’t play together.

Apart from Patrick Beverley, the tide seems to be turning on that tired take. In a recent article by Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus naming and shaming NBA star pairings that just don’t work, Tatum and Brown only made the “honorable mention” section of the analysis because they no longer fit the premise.

“Some NBA sources have long questioned the Jayson Tatum/Jaylen Brown pairing in Boston with the Celtics, claiming the two don’t complement each other well enough to win a title,” related Pincus.

“But that one doesn’t seem to pass the smell test: getting to the Eastern Conference finals nearly every year with a credible showing against the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals.”

We are aware that the only level of success that will silence the haters for good (and rightly so) is an NBA title, but so long as the basketball gods are on board, this pairing has about as good a shot as anyone of hitting that goal this season,

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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