杰伦·布朗称凯尔特人像前女友：“我们曾经在一起”

NBA veteran Jaylen Brown is still getting used to life as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. After 10 years with the Boston Celtics, where he won his first and only NBA championship so far, it wasn’t easy to adjust to life in a new city, on a brand new team.

But now that he’s had some time to get acclimated to his surroundings, Jaylen has embraced everything about his new reality. In fact, in his latest livestream, Jaylen explained that he sees the Celtics like an old ex-girlfriend, to the point where he often catches himself reflecting on the past.

“It’s just life,” said Brown on a livestream. “It’s like running into your ex out in public. Like, dang, we used to go together, and you look at them and just, like, dang. And you just gotta go about your business.”

It’s an unusual but fair analogy from Jaylen. Just like seeing your ex again can trigger strong emotion and anxiety, Jaylen still feels weird about facing the Celtics, and it seemingly hasn’t sunk in yet that he’s no longer part of the team. It’s a common trade response, and it shows just how difficult the transition process can be at times.

It was in Boston, after all, that Jaylen’s NBA journey first began. After being drafted third overall in 2016, the Celtics worked hard to develop his game and put him in a position to succeed right out of the gate. The results were impressive, with Jaylen seeing gradual improvements season after season.

Eventually, the 6’6″ swingman ascended into stardom, proving himself as one of the best two-way wings in the league. By the end of his tenure, Brown was hailed a hero of the franchise — a champion and Finals MVP with averages of 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game on 47.8% shooting from the field.

So when the Celtics suddenly traded him this summer (in exchange for an aging Paul George and picks), he took it personally. Instead of rewarding Jaylen for the best statistical season of his career, the Cs offloaded his contract to get notably worse, something he took as the ultimate betrayal.

Now, as Boston looks to retool the roster around Tatum, Brown will have his chance for redemption in Philadelphia, alongside LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. Regardless of feeling betrayed by the Celtics, Jaylen can make them look like fools if he elevates his game in Philly, but he can’t get swept up in the emotions.

This season, if he really wants to make his “ex” jealous, Brown will have to deliver his best performances yet and lead the 76ers to places they have seen in decades. With this roster, anything is possible, but their success will depend largely on Brown. Fortunately, he has never been more dedicated to the cause. In his first season out of Boston, Jaylen is eager to show the world a new version of his game, and it may just make the Celtics have second thoughts about letting him go.