A Summer of Change for Tatum and Brown
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's relationship has always been more professional than personal. Over the summers, they kept in touch via text and occasionally ran into each other between playoff runs and training camps. Despite being teammates, they were not particularly close friends. The offseasons felt especially short when their playoff runs were long.
Last summer, the Celtics experienced a painful Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Tatum turned his ankle, and Brown couldn't pick up the slack, leading to a defeat that could have been devastating for the team. With Brown's contract about to make the team more expensive, the urgency was palpable. Unlike the impatient fans and media, the Celtics organization remained patient with their young stars.
Recognizing the urgency, Brown reached out to Tatum to suggest they work out together. Assistant coach Sam Cassell arranged the workouts, and trainer Drew Hanlen ran them. The presence of Celtics legend Paul Pierce, who lifted weights and sat in on their workouts, added a boost of inspiration. They pushed each other, cementing a bond that would carry them through one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history.
Overcoming Adversity
Tatum and Brown were always good and talented, but the game needed to slow down for them to reach their full potential. Comparisons were made to iconic NBA duos like Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. They faced ego issues, tough opponents, and injuries, yet never lost faith. The Celtics made significant changes to support them, transitioning Brad Stevens from coach to president of basketball operations, hiring and then firing Ime Udoka as coach, and promoting Joe Mazzulla from assistant to head coach. Three veteran stars were brought in to mentor them, and the team leaned on Tatum and Brown as leaders.
The Decision to Keep Them Together
Stevens played a crucial role in keeping Brown and Tatum together. He endorsed drafting each of them and built the team around their talents. He rejected trade offers for several big-name players over the years and often reassured Brown of the organization’s commitment to him. This culminated in Stevens signing Brown to the largest contract in NBA history, a move that Brown used as motivation to elevate his game. Brown delivered his best basketball in these playoffs, earning MVP honors for both the conference finals and the finals.
The Journey to Championship Glory
Tatum and Brown were no strangers to media criticism, but they learned to block it out. Tatum's 6-year-old son Deuce became a symbol of his journey with the Celtics. The duo weathered losses, high expectations, and media speculation. Deuce, in particular, helped Tatum cope after losing the 2022 Finals. This personal aspect of their relationship only strengthened their resolve to improve and achieve success together.
Following their disappointing end to the previous season, Tatum focused on addressing weaknesses in his game. His hard work paid off, as he showed significant improvement in the playoffs. The narrative around Tatum and Brown often centered on their relationship, but their on-court success made those debates irrelevant.
The Celtics had a highly successful season with minimal drama, thanks to the growth mentality promoted by coach Joe Mazzulla. The team thrived as one cohesive unit, guided by a shared vision and mutual trust.
Quotes from Team Members
"We were always good and talented. The game needed to slow down," said Tatum, reflecting on their growth.
"Oh, they didn't win it. They can't play together. They should trade him," he recalled about the media skepticism.
Coach Stevens emphasized the importance of relationships: "It's what it's all about. When we're all done in our time with the Celtics, as coaches, as players, all that's going to really matter is how we treated each other. Nothing else matters."
Brown revealed his mindset, "You worry about how some people would handle that. Not Jaylen. He's a worker. He just wants to get better. He takes everything as motivation to improve."
Reflecting on the path to their championship, Brown stated, "It took being relentless. It took being on the other side of this and losing in the Finals and being at literally the lowest point in a basketball career that you could be, to next year, to the following year, thinking that was going to be the time, and come up short again."
Tatum shared his feelings of achievement, "Now, to elevate yourself in a space that, you know, all your favorite players are in, everybody that they consider greats or legends have won a championship, and all of the guys I looked up to won a championship, multiple championships. Now I can, like, walk in those rooms and be a part of that. It's a hell of a feeling. This is more -- I dreamed about what it would be like, but this is 10 times better."
Stevens wrapped up the narrative succinctly: "To me, teams thrive when there's little drama and they're moving in one direction. You have to stay in long enough. That's how you grow."
The story of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown is one of perseverance, resilience, and, ultimately, triumph. Their journey from talented individuals to a championship-winning duo is a testament to their hard work, mutual trust, and the unwavering support of the Boston Celtics organization.