A Summer of Change for Tatum and Brown
During the summers, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stayed in touch primarily through text messages. Occasionally, they would run into each other between the end of the playoffs and the beginning of training camp. They were teammates and colleagues, but not close friends. As with most teams making deep playoff runs, the offseason felt extremely short.
Last summer, the Celtics suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Tatum turned his ankle, and Brown struggled to pick up the slack. It was the kind of defeat that could tear a team apart. Additionally, the team was becoming more expensive with Brown's upcoming contract, escalating the urgency to succeed. While the Celtics organization had been patient with Tatum and Brown, fans and the media were not as forgiving. Recognizing the critical juncture, Brown reached out to Tatum with the suggestion to work out together during the offseason.
Assistant coach Sam Cassell arranged these joint workouts, while trainer Drew Hanlen ran them. NBA legend Paul Pierce joined them in the weight room and at their workouts, offering his insights and pushing them harder. The sessions were intense and the bond between them grew stronger, carrying forward into one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history.
Overcoming Adversity
Tatum and Brown had always been talented, but they needed the game to slow down for them. Comparisons had been made to other legendary duos like Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. They faced ego issues, formidable opponents, injuries, but never a loss of faith. The Celtics organization made sweeping changes to support their young stars. Brad Stevens transitioned from coach to President of Basketball Operations. Ime Udoka was hired and then fired as coach, leading to Joe Mazzulla being promoted from assistant to head coach. To provide guidance, three veteran stars were brought in to mentor Tatum and Brown, solidifying their roles as leaders.
The Decision to Keep Them Together
Brad Stevens played a pivotal role in the decision to keep Tatum and Brown together. He endorsed drafting both of them and built the team around their skills. Over the years, Stevens declined numerous trade offers involving big-name players, steadfastly reassuring Brown of the organization’s commitment to him. To further cement this commitment, Stevens signed Brown to the largest contract in NBA history. Brown used this as motivation to improve, playing the best basketball of his career during these playoffs. His exceptional performance earned him the MVP titles of both the conference finals and the NBA Finals.
The Journey to Championship Glory
Throughout their journey, Tatum and Brown paid little attention to media criticisms, focusing instead on improving their game. Tatum's six-year-old son, Deuce, became a symbol of his journey with the Celtics. Brown and Tatum endured losses, high expectations, and relentless media speculation. Deuce was a source of comfort for Tatum, especially after their loss in the 2022 Finals. Motivated to address his weaknesses, Tatum returned with marked improvement for the playoffs. The bond between Tatum and Brown was frequently scrutinized, but their triumph silenced debates about their relationship. The Celtics enjoyed a highly successful season with minimal drama. Coach Joe Mazzulla emphasized the importance of maintaining a growth mentality.
Quotes
“We were always good and talented. The game needed to slow down,” Tatum reflected on their growth.
Critics claimed, "Oh, they didn't win it. They can't play together. They should trade him," but Tatum countered, "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."
On Brown's work ethic, an observer noted, "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."
Addressing his historic contract, Brown commented, "If you would have asked me that maybe a year ago, I would probably say yeah. But just at the point I got to right now, it feels great. Any of the personal awards, it is what it is."
About their teamwork, Tatum mentioned, "I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it together."
Media discussions about their relationship were considered laughable within the team. "The whole Jayson-Jaylen discussion in the national media is laughable to all of us," a team insider said.
Highlighting the importance of championships, someone pointed out, "What do you remember about that series? [Michael Jordan's] pull-up clincher at the end of Game 6, right? But do you remember that they lost Game 1? Do you remember that he missed a game winner? Do you remember? He was 9-for-26 and a Game 5 loss.' All you remember was the game, the clinching pull-back game winner."
"My big thing to him was, 'Hey, no one really cares what you did game by game. All that really matters is if you hang a banner.'"
Indeed, the Celtics thrived with minimal drama, focused on one direction, and supported each other. Their journey is a testament to resilience and growth, ultimately culminating in championship glory.