Jaylen Brown is confident he'll be able to lead the Boston Celtics while Jayson Tatum recovers from his Achilles injury.
After a brief stretch of lineup consistency, the Boston Celtics have gone through a complete makeover this offseason. Ahead of what many are already dubbing a gap year, one key player is eager to showcase his talents in a more prominent role.
Aside from a handful of rotation pieces departing via trade or free agency, injury will also leave the Celtics depleted in 2026. Following an Achilles tear he suffered in the Eastern Conference semifinals, Jayson Tatum will be sidelined for an extended period. This leaves the rest of the group with a massive void to fill.
Though he's commonly been viewed as the second option for the Celtics, Jaylen Brown now finds himself with an opportunity to take the reins all on his own. He is looking forward to this chance, and it'll allow him to change his perception across the league. Being "the guy" every night will be no small feat, but Brown isn't lacking any confidence. He recently opened up on him being the featured player for Boston to start next season, citing he is eager to put his full range of abilities on display.
“I feel like I’m very talented,” Brown said, per Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog. “I’m one of the (most) talented people in this league, on this planet, I feel like. I’m looking forward to showing the world more.”
As the lone All-Star in the lineup, Brown will be expected to lead the charge on a nightly basis for the Celtics. Being the top option isn't new to him, as he's done it for spurts in the past. However, it's never been to this severity with Tatum expected to miss a vast majority of next season.
Since being drafted third overall back in 2016, Brown has developed into a high-level two-way forward. Now, he has a chance to silence critics and keep the Celtics afloat while also proving he is more than just a second option in the NBA.
Category: Basketball
