It’s time to attain vengeance for the Boston Celtics. Back on the NBA Finals stage, they want to rewrite their own fates, this time as winners. The loss in 2022 still seems to be stinging the hearts of the franchise. For Jayson Tatum and Co, it’s a fight to finally claim bragging rights. Yet for one, it’s a fight against adversity. Right before the Finals, Celtics’ secondary star Jaylen Brown spoke about feeling undervalued, and in his support came Kevin Durant.

In a sort of All Access before the NBA Finals, Brown, who couldn’t make a single All-NBA team this season spoke about the sensation of not gaining the deserved respect from his plethora of achievements throughout his career. Does it affect Brown anymore? “I’m at the point in my life where, just, I don’t give a f*ck. I might never get (credit and respect). And I’m okay with that. I am who I am. I do what I do and I believe in what I believe in. The ones who with me, let’s rock and roll, and the ones who aren’t can kiss my ass” said the athletic shooting guard.

However, a fan wasn’t entirely happy with this. He brought up Brown’s historic $304 million contract extension to counter the star’s argument of feeling underappreciated. However, maybe it was the force of habit, but Kevin Durant stepped in to shield Brown from the scrutiny. “U wouldn’t understand brother”, the Slim Reaper wrote in response to the fan.

Having served his entire career in Boston, Brown has worked relentlessly not just to improve his quality on the court but also towards the nourishment and protection of the community. The franchise provided him with the contract because of his visionary attributes. And he has honored his role ever since.

Even in the current postseason Jaylen Brown has been flexible, operating as per the flow of the game. If needed, he can hold back on scoring and participate actively on the defensive end. At the same time, he can dig the Celtics out of trouble all by himself as evident when he burst for 40 points against the Pacers in the ECF.

Now, in his second NBA finals, Brown is ready to take command of his own legacy. If he isn’t given the accolades he feels he has earned, Brown doesn’t mind going on the court and delivering a statement.

The misunderstood legacy of Kevin Durant

While Brown has a long walk ahead of, Durant has been the victim of heavy criticism for nearly his entire career. From the time he moved to Golden State, he was touted as a ‘snake’. Even two championships weren’t enough for experts to give him his flowers. It simply fell under the narrative of him winning with a super team. Durant’s efforts and pivotal roles in those triumphs were completely ignored.

The same scenario continues to haunt him years after moving on from the Warriors. Be it the Brooklyn Nets or even the Phoenix Suns, Durant is viewed as a superstar who can’t win on his own. Being a generational talent, a scoring freak, and arguably among the greatest players of all time, KD has learned to ignore the public outcry and focus on his basketball career.

That’s the reason he relates to Jaylen Brown. Durant knows exactly what it’s like for actions to go unnoticed. No matter how genuine his attempt was or how much he exerted himself for the betterment of his teams, the media decided to turn a blind eye. It’s truly difficult to be a misunderstood superstar like Kevin Durant.

But just like Jaylen Brown, the former MVP is aware of his worth and place in the history of the NBA.