How Celtics' Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown used summer adversity to their advantage
Today at 08:33 PM
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics were on top of the basketball world last summer after looking nearly invincible en route to their 18th championship in franchise history. However, that didn’t protect Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown from offseason drama and disrespect.
Brown was left off of the Olympic roster ahead of the Summer Games while Tatum joined Team USA but was benched for the entirety of the opening match against Serbia. The United States ultimately won gold in Paris, yet Tatum averaged under 18 minutes per outing and shot 38.1% from the field.
Reporter: "Not getting called on for the Olympic roster there, how did that make you feel…"
Jaylen Brown: "God damn question #1."
"Right off the bat. Not a lot of chances here."
"Can't warm up a little? Sh*t." pic.twitter.com/mZ70gft9C4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 24, 2024
Did these potential moments of embarrassment ruin the terrific tandem’s summer? It didn’t seem like it during Celtics Media Day.
How did Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown respond to offseason adversity?
On Tuesday, Brown told reporters that he had a terrific offseason.
“I don’t want to state the obvious, but we won a championship,” he said. “You spend your whole life dreaming to be a champion. Like, I’ve watched from when I was young to now different moments of people winning, and I’ve always looked at that and been like, ‘This is what I wanted for myself.’ So when I got to that point where that was me, it was bliss … Year after year, we were close. Those are years my heart was broken … This summer my heart wasn’t broken.”
Jaylen Brown on winning his first ring with the Celtics, his summer, and Team USA claiming gold at the Paris Olympics:
"I don't want to state the obvious, but we won a championship… You spend your whole life dreaming to be a champion. Like I've watched from when I was young to… pic.twitter.com/VjvxlQmyV9
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 24, 2024
Prior to winning it all last season, Tatum and Brown reached the Eastern Conference Finals four times and emerged victorious just once. When they did advance to the NBA Finals in 2022, they fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
2024 was different. Boston steamrolled its playoff opponents, not letting any series go longer than five games. Brown was named the Finals MVP and Tatum led the Celtics in playoff points, rebounds, and assists per game.
None of that shielded Boston’s brightest stars from criticism surrounding the Paris Olympics, but Tatum and Brown aren’t too bothered by the outside noise. In fact, Brown is hoping to use the chatter as fuel for the upcoming season.
“I’m ready to go. I’m excited about being back,” Brown told the Media Day crowd. “The past is the past, but I’m ready to get after it, lead our guys, and build some team chemistry … I’m extremely motivated for obvious reasons. I’m ready to get after it.”
Brown didn’t specify what the “obvious reasons” were. Yet, he didn’t have to. The three-time All-Star has faced many obstacles throughout his NBA career, and he believes he’s stronger for it.
“Even in those moments of doubt or those moments where I heard boos or people wanted me gone or they didn’t think I deserved [the contract] that I got, that kind of ultimately made me who I was,” he revealed. “So all of those moments cultivate you. I think adversity is that in itself. We often look at blessings as being something positive. But all the blessings in my life have been the adversity and the negative things that have happened … I’m actually grateful. I’m glad nothing was handed to me. I was the third pick and I feel like I’ve had to earn everything in this organization.”
"All the blessings in my life have been adversity… I wouldn't change anything, I'm happy nothing was handed to me."
Jaylen Brown on how adversity has shaped him into who he is today
(via @danield1214) pic.twitter.com/4XAZClrcNu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 24, 2024
An Olympic snub might join Brown’s collection, further adding to the 2024 NBA champion’s fire. Tatum also plans to utilize his playing time debacle, he’s just not quite sure how.
“In real time it was tough,” he recalled. “Did I need any extra motivation coming into the season? No, I’m not going to give anyone in particular credit for motivating me. It was a unique circumstance and something I hadn’t experienced before in my playing career. But I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason. I was coming off a championship, the highest of the highs, cover of 2K, a new contract, and that happened. Whatever the reason is, I haven’t figured it out yet. But I am a believer that everything does happen for a reason.”
Jayson Tatum said Joe Mazzulla was extremely happy that he didn't win Finals MVP and that he had to sit during the Olympics. Tatum's take on the Paris debacle:
"Everything happens for a reason." pic.twitter.com/H5ooi53noy
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) September 24, 2024
Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla is hoping the reason is motivation, as Tatum mentioned that the Celtics’ leader was ecstatic to see his franchise player get another chip on his shoulder.
“I talked to Joe [Mazzulla] a lot,” he stated. “Joe was probably the happiest person in the world that I didn’t win Finals MVP and that I didn’t play in two of the games in the Olympics.”
Like Brown, Tatum has heard plenty of criticism while on the C’s. He’s grown accustomed to it though, and chooses to focus on improving his game rather than listening to what outsiders say about him.
"I can still get better… you haven't seen the best version of Jayson Tatum." #NBAMediaDaypic.twitter.com/Ap9txQaMZS
— NBA (@NBA) September 24, 2024
Reigning champions typically have to manufacture bulletin board material to supplement their drive for another title, but it seems like the Celtics’ work was already done for them this summer. Their quest to reestablish their dominance officially begins on Tuesday, October 22 during the 2024-25 season opener versus the New York Knicks.
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