Does Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Deserve to Win an NBA All-Star Birth?

Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown has been an All-star contender for as long as one can remember. The 6’6” small forward showed tremendous growth from his rookie season in his sophomore year. Unfortunately, a complexity of equations around him stopped his name from appearing on the coveted list.

The Greens drafted JB in 2016 and followed that amazing draft with Jayson Tatum’s pick in 2017. This investment in the team rebuilding paid off as they played three conference finals in the past four seasons. However, Jaylen’s contribution still did not enjoy as much spotlight as his counterparts’.

Jaylen Brown and the tough road towards the All-star mention

Last year, the Celtics finished #3 on the EC ranking with two All-star inclusions from their team. The first was Jayson Tatum, mostly because of his amazing improvement on the offense. Second was veteran Kemba Walker, who was a starter for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s side. 

Now, considering the voting had already selected two Celtics players, there was no space for a third inclusion. For three franchise players to find a place in an All-star team, the team must at least reach the NBA Finals. Furthermore, that is no guarantee either because even the Bucks did not have three selections.

Plus, Jaylen was not even the third option in the highly successful and young Celtics side. Before him came Gordon Hayward, the forward player from Utah who played his first full season for the C’s in 2018-19 and started every game in the following season. 

All these things made the case of Jaylen Brown weak, even as he averaged a phenomenal 20.3 points, 6.4 rebs, 2.1 assists, and 1.1 steals in the last season.

Can the Boston Celtics star make the cut this year?

Jaylen is having a ball this year. He is proving to be the cornerstone for the team that is again expected to stay in the Top 3 EC teams. Even NBA Analyst and former champion Kendrick Perkins agreed as he compared him with Tatum.

The 36-YO expressed, “The one thing that Jayson Tatum had over Jaylen Brown was what? His ability to get a bucket. Now, Jaylen Brown has matched that. And look at who’s the best overall player who brings it on both ends of the floor and is the engine to the car. That’s Jaylen Brown. And if anybody is arguing that, they’re crazy.”

This year, his chances to attain individual glory are better than ever. Firstly, the Celtics sent Gordon to the Hornets in the NBA’s largest sign-and-trade agreement. This created a space for Jaylen to better his stats and contribute more easily as a starter. Of course, it brought more pressure on performance, but it’s the opportunity in adversity for him. 

Secondly, Kemba missed 11 games for the Celtics this year because of the issues with his knee. This forced Jaylen to up his game, and he did that by averaging close to 26 points per game in the current season. 

The most recent game against the 76ers was proof of the ceiling for JB. The C’s lost the game, but the rising star scored 42 points, 9 rebs, and 3 assists. It all comes down to the question, can he win the All-star birth this time? Help us know your views in the comments.