Jaylen Brown's season is the validation of a vision. He always believed that he could thrive with more responsibility on offense. His critics questioned whether he's suited for the role of a team's top option. He is squashing that skepticism.
The Boston Celtics' star wing is generating 29.7 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting. He's pairing that efficient, high-volume scoring output with an average of 6.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest.
Brown's stellar play includes nine straight appearances in which he put at least 30 points on the board. That matches Larry Bird's record for the longest such streak in franchise history.
The former NBA Finals MVP's all-around impact recently earned him Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors for the second time in December. That makes him the favorite to receive the conference's Player of the Month award.
New England Patriots star Drake Maye sees the four-time All-Star playing at an even higher level.
Drake Maye labels Jaylen Brown an MVP candidate
In his scheduled weekly appearance on WEEI, a sports radio station in Boston, the Patriots' burgeoning franchise quarterback, fresh off helping his team win the AFC East, fielded a hodgepodge round of questions. One of those was whether he believes Brown is an MVP candidate.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye believes that Jaylen Brown should be the MVP in the NBA this season pic.twitter.com/pFWl3SryDm
— WEEI Afternoons (@WEEIAfternoons) December 29, 2025
"100 percent," responded Maye. "I think he's -- what -- had how many games with 30-plus? I think he just had a couple [of] games with 40. He's doing whatever they need to, and he can score the ball at will, and he does it so nonchalantly. It looks like he's not even trying out there."
New England's star signal caller also shared that Brown nearly teamed with his older brother, Luke, at Chapel Hill.
"He came out with my brother's class," said Maye. "Thought about going with my brother to North Carolina, but he ended up better off, whatever he decided to do, going to Cal."
Brown has consistently returned better than he was at the conclusion of the previous campaign. He has spent his career proving that he's willing to sacrifice in the name of winning. Now, he's operating without restriction.
The Celtics are also playing at a faster pace, more suited to his stylistic preference. Still, it's rare to see a player in year 10 elevate into an MVP candidate.
However, the former All-NBA Second Team selection has done just that. His spot on NBA.com's MVP ladder validates what Maye, who has attended multiple matchups at TD Garden this season, is seeing from him.