The Boston Celtics are coming off an incredible 2023-24 season, capped off by an NBA Finals win. Two pillars of Boston's success have been star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, the duo has faced uncomfortable moments. An insider revealed Tatum's one regret when it came to speaking about Brown throughout the years.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix opened up about his conversation with Tatum on NBC Sports Boston:
“One regret that Jayson told me he has, is that he wished he was more vocal over the years in support of Jaylen Brown,” Mannix revealed. “He's always told him privately, ‘I've got your back.' People around me have always said to me, ‘Look Jayson has no problems with Jaylen Brown'… I think these stories have some legs because we didn't hear a lot from Jayson Tatum. He never criticized [Brown], but he wasn't maybe as vocal as he could've been.”
If Tatum could do things over, he would have been more vocal about how he wanted Brown to be his running mate. Tatum felt like Brown got what Mannix described as the “short end of the stick,” over the years when it came to accolades. Yet, Brown finally got some flowers when he won NBA Finals MVP in 2024 after the Celtics' win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Regardless of what the narrative is, Tatum and Brown have proven themselves as one of the best duos in the NBA.
Can Tatum, Brown lead the Celtics to another championship?
Brown achieved his first All-NBA accolade after the 2022-23 season and continued his stout production in 2024-25. The 27-year-old averaged 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and tied his career-high in steals (1.2) per game. Brown did nearly everything on the court for Boston during the season and played a crucial role in slowing Luka Doncic in the NBA Finals. He often picked Doncic up full court and upped his on-ball intensity. Jayson Tatum made just as great of an impact for Boston.
Tatum averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and one steal per game during the regular season. As a result, he earned a First Team All-NBA spot. Like Brown, Tatum stepped his game up in the playoffs, helping the Celtics battle several foes and helping them overcome the Mavericks for the title.
Tatum, Brown, and the rest of their highly-touted teammates look to bring another championship to Boston in 2025. Could fans see the star wing duo stick together for many more years?
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