The absence of Jaylen Brown The decision to sign the U.S. Olympic team has been on everyone's minds for a few days, starting with Celtics winger Kawhi Leonard. When he pulled out, Team USA went with Derrick White instead of the recent Finals MVP.
The Boston player therefore accused Nike of playing a negative role in this affair, in order to prevent him from joining LeBron James and his gang. To the point that Grant Hill implied that he was a “conspiracy theorist”…
What does Celtics president Brad Stevens think about it? Has he spoken with the head of the American federation to plead the NBA champion's case? “I just said our players were very good and I stayed back. I think that's my role.”answers the leader for the Boston Globe.
“I think Jaylen Brown can be on any team, any year, for the Olympics. I saw that Grant Hill said he would love to sit down and talk with him about being on the roster for Los Angeles in 2028.”continues Brad Stevens.
A good way to motivate yourself
But as the long minutes on the bench of Jayson Tatum, Derrick White or Tyrese Haliburton have demonstrated, ” There are difficult choices to make” with such a workforce, Grant Hill recalled. “You have to find the right balance, and the right pieces, on the field, at the right time.”
“I think Jaylen Brown is one of the best players in the world,” assures Brad Stevens. “The good thing about him is whether he gets called up or not, he’s going to use that as motivation to get better. I know he’s working, he’s eager to improve. I think he’s fully embraced the challenge that comes with our win last season. He’s always been like that. It probably motivates him even more even though he doesn’t need it.”
The Celtics president, besides the controversy with the MVP of the 2024 Finals, can be satisfied with having seen a trio from Boston win the gold medal. Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White achieved the double, winning the NBA title and the Olympic title in the same year. “I think that as soon as you can participate, it's a great honor. As soon as you can move on after a good season, with a challenge ahead of you, it's good.”he analyzes.
| Jaylen Brown | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | BOS | 78 | 17 | 45.4 | 34.1 | 68.5 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 6.6 |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 70 | 31 | 46.5 | 39.5 | 64.4 | 0.9 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 1.6 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 14.5 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 74 | 26 | 46.5 | 34.4 | 65.8 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 13.0 |
| 2019-20 | BOS | 57 | 34 | 48.1 | 38.2 | 72.4 | 1.1 | 5.3 | 6.4 | 2.1 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 20.3 |
| 2020-21 | BOS | 58 | 35 | 48.4 | 39.7 | 76.4 | 1.2 | 4.8 | 6.0 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 0.6 | 24.7 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 66 | 34 | 47.3 | 35.8 | 75.8 | 0.8 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 23.6 |
| 2022-23 | BOS | 67 | 36 | 49.1 | 33.5 | 76.5 | 1.2 | 5.7 | 6.9 | 3.5 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 26.6 |
| 2023-24 | BOS | 70 | 34 | 49.9 | 35.4 | 70.3 | 1.2 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 0.5 | 23.0 |
| Total | 540 | 30 | 48.0 | 36.4 | 72.0 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 18.6 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
