Subscribe
Follow Us
It is common for NBA general managers to consult their staff about a draft prospect. It could be asking the head coach about this player's game and if it fits the team's system or asking the scouts about this player's strengths and weaknesses. But instances of GMs asking players about prospects are not very common in the league. This is understandable because the player's emotional side could affect his comments about the prospect.
As The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears reports, Jaylen Brown, a second-year player who was taking an offseason vacation in Spain, received an unexpected call from Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge late at night:
“It was 2 a.m. in Cordoba, Spain, and Danny Ainge was calling me. And I just happened to be looking at my phone. I thought I was going to get traded or something. But he was just asking me about J.T.”
Ainge probably knew Brown had already played together with Tatum before calling. Brown and Tatum participated in elite prep summer camps together before college. Brown said nothing but good things about the rookie:
“The day before Danny made the pick, he called me and he asked me what I thought. And I said, ‘Jayson is that guy’. I think [Ainge] will attest to that. I told him, ‘The way [Tatum] shoots the ball, his scoring mentality and his length, it would be tough for teams to deal with us.’ He agreed. I don’t think that was the deciding factor.”
Despite Tatum playing small forward like Brown did in his first year, he was not concerned about the rookie taking his playing time. Both are now starting together with Brown playing mostly shooting guard. This unselfishness has definitely translated on the court, as Boston leads the East with a 31-10 record thanks, in part, to the youngsters' contributions.
