Jaylen Brown shares the one individual accolade that means the most to him

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has an NBA Finals MVP Award in his trophy case. He has an All-NBA selection on his resume and a championship ring on his finger. In the summer of 2023, he signed the most lucrative player contract in league history. However, there is one honor the four-time All-Star is yet to garner that bothers him.

Despite how much he relishes guarding the opposition's top perimeter player and the success he has in that role, Brown has yet to earn an All-Defensive team selection.

"I promise you that is the only thing that has bothered me over the years," the nine-year veteran told NBC Sports Boston's play-by-play announcer, Drew Carter, at Celtics media day. "The All-Defense is the only thing that I care about, but I would love to make [an] All-Defensive team this year. That would be great."

Jaylen Brown's All-Defensive team pursuit

The six-foot-six wing performed at an All-Defensive caliber in the 2023-24 season. It was Brown's best on that end of the floor, in this author's opinion. He excelled in the role of limiting the impact of the other team's top perimeter scorer.

Unfortunately, voters weren't going to put three Celtics on All-Defensive teams. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday earned All-Defensive Second Team selections that season.

At 29 years old and still in his athletic prime, Brown has the size, strength, and athleticism to play his way into one of those spots. He also has the conditioning, stamina, and a burning desire to prove himself on that end of the floor repeatedly.

In a season where he will have to shoulder more responsibility on both sides of the ball, maintaining the output needed to earn an All-Defensive team selection will become even more challenging.

However, as he discussed at media day at the Auerbach Center, setting the tone on defense is one of the Celtics' core philosophies that he is determined to preserve, regardless of what this season has in store for them.

"Setting the tone on defense," said Brown when asked about that subject. "Making sure that we continue to maintain our effort on that. And just playing hard. Playing hard. Playing unselfish[ly]. Playing fast. I feel like that's the identity that we're going to build."

However, with lowered expectations for Boston this year, perhaps that helps voters view Brown's case favorably. Again, even if it doesn't happen in the 2025-26 campaign, as long as he stays healthy, this isn't his last legitimate chance to receive the distinction that has so far eluded him.