Celtics' Jaylen Brown reveals true thoughts on duo with Jayson Tatum

Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown opens up on his personal relationship and long-time partnership with fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum.

The Boston Celtics benefit from having one of the best duos in the NBA, as the All-Star tandem of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum has set the league on fire. And despite numerous attempts to break the pair up, Brown believes they are still destined for great things.

Brown shared his thoughts on what it's meant to play alongside an elite competitor like Tatum during a recent interview with NBA insider Shams Charania.

“I've seen him get better each year in the offseason, I've seen them grow as a man and he's seen me grow as a man,” Brown said. “So I get why, I guess, people always try to break up duos or people like that because you know, so far we've been incredibly successful.”

The peak so far for the dazzling duo was making the NBA Finals last year before losing to the dynastic Golden State Warriors. Boston hopes to get back to that point this season behind Brown and Tatum, as the 2023 All-Stars lead the team in scoring. They even have 12 games in which they've both scored 30 or more points, a feat no pair has accomplished since the legendary Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

“The only thing that'll put the ribbon on top [for us] is a championship,” Brown added.

It hasn't been all smooth sailing during the 2022-23 campaign though, as a few interviews from Brown generated a lot of controversy about whether or not he'll be a Celtic in the upcoming years. However, in his most recent sit-down, Brown emphasized the importance of his relationship with Tatum and how they are very much connected.

“Jayson being the ultimate version of him doesn't stop me from being the ultimate version of myself,” he said. “Him being the All-Star MVP, celebrating him getting the gold medal…that brings genuine joy for me. I appreciate him sharing those moments. We're kind of a part of each other's destiny in a sense.”

Regardless of what's in store for the Celtics in this year's playoffs and beyond, it's clear that Brown and Tatum have a strong mutual respect for each other. Even with all the outside noise trying to break them up, the two seem grateful for another chance to contend for a title together.

“We both love this game tremendously and want to continue to improve,” Brown said. “We compete, we push each other, we learn from each other and I think a lot of our relationship has been built off that dynamic of respect. That's the beautiful part of it.”