“I’ve been a prodigy my whole life” - Boston Celtics All-Star pushes back against reports that his skills came out of nowhere after great start to the season
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was recently invited by Ballislife to have him react to a mixtape of his high school highlights. After watching the first minute of his reels, Brown wondered why the media was surprised at how good he suddenly became at basketball. In the Celtics star's eyes, he's always been a prodigy and people should stop questioning his talent.
"I'll be listening to media writers right now say, 'It's like his skills just came out of nowhere. It's a miracle how he's just getting better every year.' I'm like, I've been a prodigy my whole life," Brown said.
JAYLEN BROWN: "I'll be listening to media writers right now say, 'It's like his skills just came out of nowhere. It's a miracle how he's just getting better every year.' I'm like, I've been a prodigy my whole life."
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Then again, we can't blame the media for making such statements about the Boston Celtics star. Jaylen Brown didn't necessarily have an outstanding rookie season in the NBA. We've only seen him improve significantly throughout the following seasons. With that being said, writers stating that Brown miraculously improves every year is only based on what the Celtics star has shown.
Did the Boston Celtics draft a prodigy in Jaylen Brown?
Before living his NBA dream, playing for the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown was just a kid from Wheeler High School fighting for a spot on his team. His first two years in high school weren't exactly memorable. As a freshman, he only played in four games. His sophomore year, however, was more noteworthy since his team made it into the Georgia Region 5-6A championship with a 6A state tournament semifinal finish.
In Jaylen Brown's junior year, everyone got to see him flourish as a player. According to USA Basketball's official website, Brown averaged 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. He was active on both ends of the court, proving why he was one of the top prospects in the country.
Come his senior year, Brown topped his scoring and rebounding averages by scoring 28 points and 12 rebounds per game. The soon-to-be Celtics star helped his team win a 6A state title, cementing his Wheeler High School legacy.
In 2015, Jaylen Brown enrolled at the University of California, where he spent one season before entering the 2016 NBA Draft. Brown had 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and two assists per game as a college player. He was named the 2015-16 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and chosen for the USBWA Freshman All-America team.
After his first college season concluded, Brown was ready to enter the NBA. He was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the first round as the third overall pick. As a rookie, Celtics fans didn't exactly see Brown's full potential. He was only playing 17.2 minutes per game, which wasn't enough time to showcase his abilities. He eventually found his rhythm when the team made him a starter.
Jaylen Brown would end up scoring more than 20 points per game a few seasons later. Unfortunately, he ended up under Jayson Tatum's shadow as the second option for the Boston Celtics. Brown still proved his worth when he was named an All-Star for the first time back in the 2020-21 season. He hasn't made an All-Star game appearance since then.
Nevertheless, the Boston Celtics are lucky to have a player like Brown. He's putting up All-Star-caliber numbers on a nightly basis and is a perfect tandem for Jayson Tatum. The Celtics even made an NBA finals appearance last season thanks to Brown and Tatum's efforts as a duo. As of this 2022-23 season, Jaylen Brown is averaging a solid 24 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals.