A Summer of Change for Tatum and Brown
Tatum and Brown kept in touch over the summers via text. Occasionally, they ran into each other after playoffs and before training camp. They were teammates and colleagues, but not close friends. Offseasons tend to feel short when playoff runs are long. Last summer, the Celtics lost a Game 7 to the Miami Heat in the conference finals. Tatum turned an ankle, and Brown couldn't pick up the slack. It was a loss that could tear a team apart. The team was about to get more expensive with Brown's contract. Both stars sensed the urgency. The Celtics had been patient with them, unlike fans and media. Brown called Tatum to suggest they work out together.
Assistant coach Sam Cassell arranged the workouts, and trainer Drew Hanlen ran them. Celtics legend Paul Pierce even joined in, lifting weights and sitting in on their sessions. They pushed each other and cemented a bond that carried through one of the most dominant seasons in NBA history.
Overcoming Adversity
Tatum and Brown were always good and talented, but the game needed to slow down for them. Comparisons were made to iconic duos like Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. Tatum and Brown experienced ego issues, tough opponents, and injuries, but never lost faith. The Celtics made wholesale changes to support Tatum and Brown. Brad Stevens transitioned from coach to president of basketball operations. Ime Udoka was hired and then fired as coach, leading to Joe Mazzulla being promoted from assistant to head coach. Three veteran stars were brought in to mentor them. The team leaned into Tatum and Brown as leaders.
The Decision to Keep Them Together
Brad Stevens is responsible for keeping Brown and Tatum together. He signed off on drafting each of them and built the team around them. Stevens declined trades for several big-name players over the years and often reassured Brown of the organization’s commitment to him. He signed Brown to the largest contract in NBA history. Brown used the commitment as motivation to improve. He played the best basketball of his career in these playoffs, ultimately being named MVP of both the conference finals and the NBA Finals.
The Journey to Championship Glory
Tatum and Brown heard media criticisms but blocked them out. Tatum's 6-year-old son Deuce symbolizes his journey with the Celtics. Brown and Tatum have been through losses, expectations, and media speculation. Deuce was a source of support for Tatum after losing the 2022 Finals. Tatum focused on training and addressing weaknesses in his game. He improved significantly in the playoffs. Tatum and Brown’s story often involves their personal relationship. They won together, making debates about their relationship irrelevant. The Celtics had a highly successful season with minimal drama. Mazzulla emphasized the importance of having a growth mentality.
Quotes
“We were always good and talented. The game needed to slow down,” said a reflective Tatum. Another quote often thrown around by naysayers, “Oh, they didn't win it. They can't play together. They should trade him," rang hollow by season's end. A quote from an undisclosed member of the organization highlighted the team-oriented culture they cultivated: "It's what it's all about. When we're all done in our time with the Celtics, as coaches, as players, all that's going to really matter is how we treated each other. Nothing else matters."
Brown reflected on the growth they experienced together, saying, "I always felt for him in that regard. I think now that maybe I could have been better." Stevens was impressed with Brown's resilience: "You worry about how some people would handle that. Not Jaylen. He's a worker. He just wants to get better. He takes everything as motivation to improve." Brown, ever the realist, admitted, "I don't ever win s---." However, he acknowledged the monumental aspect of their journey. "If you would have asked me that maybe a year ago, I would probably say yeah. But just at the point I got to right now, it feels great. Any of the personal awards, it is what it is." He added poignantly, "I trusted him. He trusted me. And we did it together."
Tatum spoke to the emotional aspects of balancing his professional and personal life: "He was born six weeks into the season and I was scared. I was like, 'I don't want to roll over on him.' "This quote reflects his growth: "He was scared s----, just like I was as a father. No one's ready to have a child when they're still living out their childhood dream. But I've seen him grow so much. He's really a great dad."' Tatum concluded, "You're damn right I am," in response to whether this experience transformed him. His report on perseverance was clear: "It took being relentless." "It took being on the other side of this and losing in the Finals and being at literally the lowest point in a basketball career that you could be, to next year, to the following year, thinking that was going to be the time, and coming up short again." He captured the essence of their triumph, "Now, to elevate yourself in a space that, you know, all your favorite players are in, everybody that they consider greats or legends have won a championship, and all of the guys I looked up to won a championship, multiple championships. Now I can, like, walk in those rooms and be a part of that. It's a hell of a feeling. This is more -- I dreamed about what it would be like, but this is 10 times better." Brown dismissed any media speculation dismissively, "The whole Jayson-Jaylen discussion in the national media is laughable to all of us," adding emphatically, "I don't have the time to give a f---." He encapsulated the focus they maintained: "What do you remember about that series? [Michael Jordan's] pull-up clincher at the end of Game 6, right? But do you remember that they lost Game 1? Do you remember that he missed a game-winner? Do you remember? He was 9-for-26 and a Game 5 loss.' All you remember was the game, the clinching pull-back game winner." He concluded wisely, "My big thing to him was, 'Hey, no one really cares what you did game by game. All that really matters is if you hang a banner.'" Mazzulla succinctly summarized the team's philosophy: "To me, teams thrive when there's little drama and they're moving in one direction." And finally, "You have to stay in long enough. That's how you grow."