‘You represent the future’: 4 takeaways from Jaylen Brown’s community-driven press conference at MIT

With Celtics brass to his proper, Olympian John Carlos to his left and a sea of scholars sporting vivid pink “Bridge” t-shirts behind him, Jaylen Brown linked all events as he signed the largest contract in NBA historical past.

Brown bridged the hole between the previous, current and future Wednesday on the Massachusetts Institute of Know-how. As a lot as this occasion was about celebrating Brown the basketball participant, it was much more about celebrating Brown the particular person and all he plans to do now that he’s inked his five-year, $304 million extension.

“You guys being right here is particular for me,” Brown instructed his campers. “You characterize the subsequent era. You characterize the long run. Every thing I do is to attempt to make this world a greater place.”

Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photographs

He’s placing his cash to make use of.

Brown plans to launch a challenge to carry Black Wall Road to Boston and assault the wealth disparity. He plans to stimulate the financial system, make investments locally and assist town change into absolutely built-in.

“We’ve obtained a variety of work to do, and I believe we’re all on that very same journey,” Brown mentioned.

He mentioned he was along with his college students in the midst of a robotics session on Sunday when the deal lastly materialized. Brown put his cellphone down and obtained proper into class that day.

As for the placement of the press convention, Brown mentioned it “simply occurred to fall like that.” He mentioned everybody would have appreciated to get the deal carried out sooner, however this immersive expertise made sense logistically, and he thought it was becoming.

Based by Brown, The 7uice Basis companions with establishments, organizations and social change leaders to bridge the chance hole for youth in historically underserved Black and Brown communities. This summer season, Bridge has organized a multi-day camp on the MIT Media Lab to give attention to STEAM-related alternatives and different areas.

Brown mentioned cash isn’t all the things, however it does create an avenue to construct one thing monumental.

“It offers my life and my that means a lot extra objective,” Brown mentioned. “… The world is altering. I’m proud to be part of that change.”

The Celtics are thrilled with each the particular person and the participant.

Brown mentioned the talks with the Celtics “went nice,” including that the pre-existing relationships allowed them to have regular and direct conversations.

“From my standpoint, they understood the place I got here from, understood the place we got here from,” Brown mentioned. “It was all about simply assembly within the place the place it made sense for everyone. I’m glad we had been capable of end it.”

Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla, Wyc Grousbeck and Stephen Pagliuca dished loads of reward Brown’s manner, crediting each the particular person and the participant for his need to be nice.

“From the second Jaylen obtained right here, it’s been about progress,” Stevens mentioned. “It’s about getting higher. It’s about tackling each problem. It’s about if issues go rather well for you that day, working onerous the subsequent day so that you generally is a little higher.”

Mazzulla mentioned he’s the kind of one who’s made him higher and made individuals round him higher. Pagliuca added that the aim is to collectively make Boston and the world a greater place with Brown as a driving pressure.

Grousbeck mentioned they spent probably the most time Sunday speaking about Invoice Russell and the way to proceed to honor him shifting ahead.

“Ever since I met Jaylen seven years in the past, I’ve been utterly blown away and impressed by his depth, his dedication, and his ardour,” Grousbeck mentioned. “It’s not about him, it’s about different individuals.”

Photograph by Adam Glanzman/Getty Photographs

They did talk about some basketball.

Brown emphasised the significance of persistently bringing defensive depth this season and past. He mentioned it begins with him and Jayson Tatum, and he additionally talked about Kristaps Porzingis as a catalyst in that space.

“With Marcus gone, we don’t need our defensive id to exit the door as properly,” Brown mentioned.

As anticipated, Brown mentioned “in fact” when requested if this Celtics crew has what it takes to win all of it.

He mentioned he’ll miss Sensible, noting that they “butted heads” and “put one another in headlocks” at instances, however that it was all love. Brown referred to as him “a brother” and mentioned Sensible will nonetheless be with them spiritually as they proceed their journey.

“This journey received’t really feel the identical with out him, to be sincere, however it’s part of life,” Brown mentioned.

In the meantime, he claims to haven’t obtained any kind of FaceTime from Grant Williams or Robert Williams – opposite to what they mentioned on social media – however he made it clear he plans to provide them a name later within the day Wednesday.

“By no means, by no means, by no means,” Brown mentioned, when requested if he was too cool to talk with them now. “These are my guys.”

Brown mentioned his cellphone blew up greater than ever earlier than earlier this week, however he’s excited to shift the main target elsewhere and get again to enterprise.

He embraces the added stress.

Brown believes all the things he’s skilled at every stage of his profession has ready him to enter this new part of his life, with much more weight on his shoulders.

On the similar time, he is aware of he’s not on the journey alone, and he plans to proceed to lean on these round him.

“That pursuit of excellence by no means modifications,” Stevens mentioned. “I believe that’s an incredible separator if you’re speaking a few participant, speaking a few teammate, and speaking about an individual you need to be related to.”

Brown mentioned he doesn’t really feel as if anybody has seen his greatest but. He is aware of what the demand is, and he’s keen to succeed in that pinnacle individually and as a crew.

“I don’t shrink back from stress,” Brown mentioned.