Celtics’ Jaylen Brown reaches incredible feat only done by Steph Curry, Nikola Jokic

Brown now sits at the table with modern legends

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown was tormented last season for being a “playoff choker” and not being able to dribble to his left. Now, he stands at the league’s mountaintop, joining rare air after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

Brown joins Nikola Jokic and Steph Curry as the only players in NBA history to win Conference Finals and Finals MVP in the same season. While Conference Finals MVPs only began in 2022, the fact remains that Brown has entrenched himself among the game’s upper echelon of talent.

The three-time All-Star sounded off on the accomplishment, via The Athletic’s Sam Amick.

“It was a full team effort,” Brown said. “I share this with my brothers, and my partner in crime, Jayson Tatum, he was with me the whole way.”

Brown and Tatum’s on-court dynamic was a major talking point, as many were surprised to see Brown take the driver’s seat in the playoffs, while Tatum played second fiddle. Tatum had been the team’s best player in the regular season, so the switch was unexpected.

However, the team didn’t miss a beat, a testament to its unselfishness and commitment to win under any circumstance.

“It could have gone to anybody,” Brown continued. “It could have gone to Jayson, who I can’t talk enough about — his selflessness. I can’t talk enough about his attitude, and just how he approached not just this series, or the finals, but just the playoffs. We did it together as a team.”

How high will Brown’s star rise over the coming years?

Brown could be an all-time great if he continues cooking for the Celtics

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Just like every elite athlete, it took Brown years of tireless effort to get to this point. One of his mentors along the way was the late Celtics legend Bill Russell, who the Finals MVP award is named after.

“To be honest, I can’t even put it into words,” Brown said. “Just Bill Russell, and what he’s meant to me, and my Boston journey. His spirit, everything that he stood for. For this to be the Bill Russell MVP award, it just — I’ve got nothing, man. I don’t know what to say. But it’s unreal.”

If Brown makes like Russell and leads Boston to more rings, not only will Tatum be far behind in his rearview mirror, but most players in history will be, too. Only a select few legends have ever won multiple Finals MVPs, and with the quality of the Celtics’ roster, there’s no telling how long they could maintain their run on top.