Should Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics settle for being Robin to Jayson Tatum’s Batman?
The Boston Celtics have two tremendous wing players, and that's a luxury few teams in the NBA have at their disposal. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are very good young defenders whose games are more than a novelty. Jaylen Brown, as talented as he is, seems to be playing under the shadow of his just as gifted teammate, Jayson Tatum. The 3rd pick in the 2016 draft has made the NBA All-Star team despite the presence of Tatum, and has a shot at becoming a great NBA player. Will the fact that Brown and Tatum play essentially the same position become a problem down the line for the Boston Celtics? Should Jaylen Brown accept a designated 2nd slot for a Boston Celtics franchise known as historically elite? The objective is to win an NBA title, yet for this Boston Celtics team to do just that, Jaylen Brown will have to have the best season he's had for the Boston Celtics. Is he happy to be Robin next to Jayson Tatum's Batman, or will he eventually desire more of a Superman role in the Boston Celtics' offense?
Jaylen Brown making it look EASY 😤
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The Boston Celtics offseason
Brad Stevens passed the head coaching duties to Ime Udoka, and headed upstairs to the front office. Kemba Walker was shipped to New York, Al Horford was brought back, a capable guard on both ends of the floor in Josh Richardson was acquired, and Kris Dunn and center Bruno Fernando are Boston Celtics via trade as well. The steal of the offseason was Dennis Schröder, and as much as fans and media have criticized the point guard, he has the incentive to make a big statement for the Boston Celtics this season.
Jayson Tatum the superstar
Jayson Tatum, the closest version we've seen to the late Kobe Bryant, is ready right now to take over. The advantage he has over Jaylen Brown is that he has a bigger responsibility to the Boston Celtics and also the NBA. As an Olympic gold medalist, the offseason was a short one for Tatum, yet he will definitely take over where he left off next season with all the postseason moves Brad Stevens has made.
It's Jaylen Brown's turn
Jaylen Brown upped his scoring average an incredible four points in 2021 from 20 to 24 points per - while shooting 40% from the arc and 48% overall. After a season-ending wrist injury just before the start of last season's playoffs, Jaylen Brown is ready to rid himself of that bad taste in the the aftermath of the injury. Brown has been cleared to participate in training camp, and that should be a precursor to a great year for Brown. The Boston Celtics are poised to reclaim their spot atop the Eastern Conference, and after an offseason of rehab where he says the wrist feels good, what will be the result of a player inspired to become one of the best players in the league?
Jaylen Brown’s first All-Star season was something special 🤩 https://t.co/4YOAIUsjAK
Ime Udoka
Jaylen Brown went to the Boston Celtics front office and expressed the importance of hiring a Black head coach. Brown told the Undefeated: “Whether it was because they were just trying to shut us up, or because they believed it was the right thing to do, it don’t matter to me. That representation is important,” Seven Black head coaches were hired in the offseason and Ime Udoka is now given an opportunity to coach in a league where 75% of the NBA is Black. The point is Jaylen Brown sees the bigger picture of sports -- not just the NBA -- and when a player is strengthened with so much conviction, the sport before him almost becomes secondary. That intelligence, will and drive to change things only enhances a player by throwing them in the fire of social responsibility. That fire encapsulates a player's talent, and all-star prominence comes to the fore.
So, what will become of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum?
Jaylen Brown has the type of personality that is deliberate at times yet is also pretty laid back. He can make a lot of money in the NBA and also help win a lot of games. Coming off a career high in scoring and a berth in the NBA All-Star game representing the Boston Celtics, the pressure to perform will turn up to the highest levels. If Jayson Tatum consumes much of that pressure, it's imperative for Jaylen Brown to step his game up just a little more. Defensively, he can really affect a game as an athletic wing, and part of his ascension will be how he performs defensively and potentially garners attention on the NBA All-Defensive team.
Something tells me that as Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum mature, an issue will arise with fans and media over who should be the main star for the Boston Celtics. That would be the moment where both players become the best of men, because they will be challenged not only to win, but to address the inevitable.