On the night that Jaylen Brown was drafted, he was famously met with a chorus of boos. It’s a story that’s been referenced so many times it hardly requires retelling, but it highlights the reality that Brown’s introduction to the organization wasn’t welcoming from the jump.
The early years came with their well-chronicled share of struggles – Brown battled for minutes, then for a spot in the rotation, then overly scrutinized for the flaws in his game as a raw development prospect, whether it was his inconsistent shot or inferior left-handed dribble.
Even after becoming a multi-time All-Star, Jaylen Brown entered the year commonly deemed the most overpaid player in the league after signing a super max extension in the offseason. He was left off of All-NBA after what was to date the best season of his career.
In the early days of the regular season, as Brown struggled to get in a rhythm, fans began to speculate – what if he was the odd man out on this loaded roster?
On the heels of all that noise, Brown put together a career-best postseason run that was capped off by the ultimate honor. On June 17th, 2024, he was named Finals MVP – the highest individual accolade in the sport he’s devoted his life to, awarded to the top-performing player on the winningest team in basketball.
“I just came in and kept my head down and told myself, I’m going to just keep working,” he said. “To be here in this moment now — through all the years, through all the doubt, through all of the ups and downs, through all of the verdicts, through all of the everything — it just makes the story that much sweeter."
Still, with his Finals MVP trophy placed firmly on the table in front of him, Brown made clear that personal accolades weren’t a meaningful indicator of his success. Asked if the Finals MVP served as vindication for all of the doubt and criticism he’s endured over the years, Brown communicated that it no longer was.
“If you would have asked me that maybe a year ago, I would probably say ‘yeah’,” he said. “But, at the point I got to right now – it feels great. Any of the personal awards, it is what it is.”
In the moment when Jaylen Brown was named Finals MVP, he flung his head back in shock. The reaction mirrored the surprise he exuded just a few weeks ago in Indiana, when he was named Eastern Conference Finals MVP – but this time, it was even more pronounced.
This time, he also made sure to deflect the credit.
“It could have gone to anybody,” Brown said postgame. “It could have gone to Jayson [Tatum]. Jayson, like I can’t talk enough about his selflessness. You know, I can’t talk enough about his attitude. It’s just how he approached – not just this series or the Finals – but just the playoffs in general. We did it together as a team.”
The Finals MVP capped a postseason of dominance
Through the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Brown averaged 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists – shooting 51.6% from the field and typically guarding the opposing team’s best player. His run was highlighted by a Finals Game 3 masterpiece that propelled the Celtics to a commanding 3-0 lead, which was punctuated by him sinking the game-sealing jumper in the waning minutes.
Prior, there was the late-game heroics that turned around Game 1 of the conference finals, when Brown deflected an inbounds pass and subsequently hit a game-tying three to give the Celtics a shot in overtime. There was the 40-point explosion in the ECF Game 2, which tied his postseason career-high, and the lockdown defense that made Luka Doncic seem stoppable.
Jayson Tatum also made a compelling case for Finals MVP, averaging 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in five games — and leading the team in all three categories. He was brilliant in the clincher, flirting with a triple-double and ending Game 5 with 30 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds.
When Brown was handed the trophy, the first thing he said was: “It was a full team effort. I share this with my brothers, and my partner-in-crime, Jayson Tatum. He was with me the whole way.”
Jaylen Brown wins the NBA Finals MVP Trophy. Upon accepting it, he declared it a total team effort, and he shares it with his "partner in crime" Jayson Tatum. pic.twitter.com/4e6Rxukm2o
— Danielle Hobeika (@DanielleHobeika) June 18, 2024
Jaylen Brown joins an elite list of players with a Finals MVP trophy, superstars like Steph Curry, Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic. The MVP selection likely guarantees his spot in the Hall of Fame. Regardless of how much Brown centered the team award in his remarks, even he couldn’t deny the significance of the honor named after Celtics legend Bill Russell.
“I can’t even put into words the emotions,” he said. “It’s just I’m blessed and I’m grateful."
At the same time, however, he noted that the vindication from the critics is only temporary.
“The doubters, they may be quiet now, but they will be back,” Brown said. “They will be back next year with something to say. I’ll embrace that moment the same and get after it yet again.”
