On Thursday, August 6, Boston Celtics fans finally got some closure over the Jaylen Brown situation, as the All-Star forward was introduced by the Philadelphia 76ers.
The news conference was the first time Brown had publicly taken questions from the media regarding the trade. During the introduction, Brown took a moment to share his fondness for his time in Boston, not only as a member of the Celtics, but as someone who lived within the city.
“I look back at the city of Boston and I’m grateful,” Brown said. “I’ve been able to develop as a man, as a human being there. Spent a lot of time in the community, spent a lot of time at universities studying, learning, figuring out how to approach how I wanted to go about my philanthropy, figure out how I wanted to approach how to carry myself.”
Brown continued.
“A lot of my most important years, my most developmental years as a young man, I spent in Boston. I got there at 19; I didn’t do a four-year degree because I left early. I got my degree in Boston, in a sense. The relationships are still there, the connections are still there. I’m looking forward to continuing my foundation work, as well as expanding it here to Philadelphia, but I’m very grateful for my experience, my tenure in Boston.”
Brown joined the Celtics as the third pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He spent 10 seasons with the franchise, winning a championship in 2024. During his time with the Celtics, Brown played in 674 regular-season games, averaging 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1 steal.
Brown Addressed The Pressure In Boston
Elsewhere in his news conference, Brown addressed the pressure that comes with playing for the Celtics. He noted how that pressure has prepared him for what’s to come with the Sixers in the coming years.
“I played in Boston for the last 10 years — pressure is high there. It’s Titletown, they expect to win every single year, and they’re always looking for someone to blame,” Brown said. “Some of those years, it was me, so I’ve been through that. All I come with is my work ethic, my mentality, impact on winning, and that’s just my approach.”
Brown certainly learned how to navigate the pressure of playing for Boston. He appeared in 142 playoff games for the Celtics, starting 122, and winning the 2024 Finals MVP award in the process.
Brown Hasn’t Spoken To Tatum Since Leaving Celtics
One interesting note from Brown’s news conference was the revelation that he and Jayson Tatum haven’t had the opportunity to speak much since the trade went down. However, Brown did defend his relationship with Tatum, noting that they’d won a championship together.
“We won a championship together, so, anybody that you win a championship [with], you would think, like, that’s what a brotherhood or a lifelong legacy would entail,” Brown said. “Obviously, there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship, but on my end, there’s nothing but respect. Besides when he plays the Sixers, I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is just based on respect.”
When asked if the duo had spoken since the trade, Brown replied, “Not really.”
Now that Brown’s introductory news conference is over, Celtics fans will likely be able to move on. The decision to trade him was certainly controversial, especially the fact that he was sent to a direct rival.
Nevertheless, Celtics fans may now turn their attention back to the Celtics’ current roster, as they begin preparing for the new season later this year.
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