A Summer of Change for Tatum and Brown
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown kept in touch over the summers via text messages. Occasionally, they'd run into each other after the playoffs and before training camp. They were teammates and colleagues, but not close friends. Offseasons tend to feel short when playoff runs are long, and last summer was no different. The Celtics had just lost a Game 7 to the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Tatum turned an ankle, and Brown couldn't pick up the slack. It was a loss that could tear any team apart, and the team was about to get more expensive with Brown's contract looming. Both stars sensed the urgency.
The Celtics organization had been patient with them, unlike the fans and the media. Seeing the need for a stronger bond, Brown called Tatum to suggest they work out together. Assistant coach Sam Cassell arranged the workouts, while trainer Drew Hanlen ran them. Even Celtics legend Paul Pierce joined in, lifting weights and sitting in on their workouts. It was in these sessions that they pushed each other and cemented a bond. This bond carried over into one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history.
Overcoming Adversity
Tatum and Brown were always good and talented. The game simply needed to slow down for them. They faced ego issues, tough opponents, and injuries, but never lost faith. The Celtics made wholesale 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. Joe Mazzulla was initially hired as an assistant and then promoted to head coach. Three veteran stars were brought in to mentor them, and the team leaned heavily into Tatum and Brown as their leaders.
The Decision to Keep Them Together
Brad Stevens was instrumental in keeping Brown and Tatum together. He signed off on drafting each of them and subsequently built the team around them. Despite numerous opportunities, Stevens declined trades for several big-name players over the years. He often reassured Brown of the organization’s commitment to him, a commitment that culminated in signing Brown to the largest contract in NBA history. Brown used this organization’s faith as motivation to improve, playing the best basketball of his career in the playoffs, earning MVP honors in both the conference finals and the NBA Finals.
The Journey to Championship Glory
Tatum and Brown never let media criticisms affect them. Tatum's six-year-old son, Deuce, symbolizes his journey with the Celtics. Brown and Tatum have endured losses, lofty expectations, and endless media speculation. Deuce was there to help Tatum after losing the 2022 Finals, pushing him to focus on training and addressing weaknesses in his game. Tatum improved significantly in the playoffs. Tatum and Brown's personal relationship often emerged as the story, but their success together rendered debates about their relationship irrelevant. The Celtics experienced a highly successful season with minimal drama, thanks in part to head coach Joe Mazzulla's emphasis on maintaining a growth mentality.
Quotes from Within
"We were always good and talented. The game needed to slow down,” Tatum explained. The skeptics said, "Oh, they didn’t win it. They can’t play together. They should trade him.” But the Celtics’ approach was clear: "It's all about how we treated each other. Nothing else matters."
Tatum reflected on their journey, saying, "I always felt for him in that regard. I think now that maybe I could have been better." Brown, on the other hand, used the pressure as fuel: "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."
Brown admitted, "I don’t ever win s---," while adding that he used every setback as motivation. "If you would have asked me that maybe a year ago, I would probably say yeah. But at the point I am now, it feels great. The personal awards, it is what it is." Their trust in one another was clear: "I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it together," Tatum said.
Tatum also shared an emotional moment about his son: "Deuce was born six weeks into the season, and I was scared. I didn't want to roll over on him." Another sentiment echoed, "We were scared s----, just like I was as a father. No one's ready to have a child when they're still living out their childhood dream. But I've seen him grow so much. He's really a great dad."
When asked about their championship victory, Brown replied, "You're damn right I am." He continued, "It took being relentless. It took experiencing the lowest points in a basketball career to elevate yourself to a space where all your favorite players are. All the legends have won a championship. Now I can walk in those rooms and be a part of that. It's a hell of a feeling." He added, "I dreamed about what it would be like, but this is 10 times better."
The national media discourse on the Jayson-Jaylen duo never mattered to the team. "The whole Jayson-Jaylen discussion in the national media is laughable to all of us," Tatum said succinctly. Mazzulla emphasized focus: "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." And in the end, it’s all about the banner. "No one really cares what you did game by game. All that really matters is if you hang a banner," summarized Tatum, cementing their ultimate goal.