“I’m going to go to war for this city!” There’s always something that drives us to work harder and longer than others. For Jaylen Brown, too, there was something. Despite being booed by the crowd even before he donned a Celtics jersey, the 27-year-old made this promise and had been working tirelessly to keep his word. Ultimately, he, along with franchise superstar Jayson Tatum, brought home the 18th championship title to Boston.

He would also bag the coveted Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy. It was a recognition of not only Brown’s brilliant season but also his grit and dedication to stay at the top of his game. Brown details what truly fueled him to work for the MVP honors in the popular GSW podcast, Dubs Talk: A Golden State Warriors Podcast, hosted by Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson.

“Bill (Russell) spent his time here in Oakland. I spent a lot of time in Berkeley. We had that similar thing. We both went to Boston, a place that hasn’t always been the most welcome to change, especially coming from communities such of our own. So, Bill has been a motivation for me in my life, somebody I could follow and look to when I get discouraged. And for that trophy to be bestowed on to me, my family and I can’t even put into words how much that means,” JB explained.

Given how Brown stands for social justice and advocates for community outreach, throughout his time with the Cs, a trait that we no doubt have seen in the 11x champion, Russell, this surely was an unreal moment. But JB might find a similarity with the late Boston legend on the court, as well.

“Neurotic need to win” – Bill Russell’s influence on Jaylen Brown

A former teammate of Russell and a Boston icon himself, the late Tom Heinsohn, had once described the No. 6 as being driven by “a neurotic need to win.” While our Georgia native might not be on the same level as Bill, he does possess similar characteristics. After all, to make a statement like the one above for a place that’s not exactly welcoming speaks volumes about Brown. But perhaps what really set him aside were his unselfish motives behind the drive to win.

Brown stood like a statue when his name was called. He was still unfazed when his teammates and coaches grabbed him and started cheering. In fact, the whole of ‘Beantown’ would be quite familiar with his expression – the same stone-faced expression we might see after a poster dunk or a game-winning 3! And his reason?

“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I don’t never win sh*t!” Leave it to JB to make such a comment with a straight face. However, when it finally dawned on him that this was no fluke or a prank, the Finals MVP was still at a loss for words when asked about Bill Russell in the post-game presser. The 3x All-Star tried. He really did. Giving up at last, he stated, “I’ve got nothing, man. I don’t even know what to say. It’s unreal.”

But this time, he was ready. “What he (Bill) stood for, it transcends sports. And for him to be a walking example at that time and for me to do it is no excuse,” Brown added.