The Boston Celtics drafted Jaylen Brown at 19 years old. He has spent his entire adult life with the NBA's original monarchy, in a city that has become home.
The four-time All-Star has built an unbreakable bond in the community. He is as active in the area, giving back and connecting with people in the city he stars in, as any athlete you'll find.
His on-court evolution has taken him from painful lows, such as his eight turnovers in Game 7 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, to becoming the MVP of the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals a year later.
Jaylen Brown gets honest about spending his career with the Celtics
In a recent appearance on DDG's Twitch stream, Brown spoke candidly about the prospect of his basketball journey allowing him to spend his entire career with the only franchise he has known.
"In our league, it's a business," said Brown. "It's not up to me. Sometimes it is, but sometimes it's not. Obviously, the fans -- they built a strong relationship. But the organization -- they might be like, 'We want to move in another direction one day.' And they might force you to have to -- like, 'You know what, alright, you're not playing me, or you're not trying to pay me, I'm going to go somewhere else where they are.
"But that doesn't mean I don't [expletive] with the city, or that I wouldn't mind being here for my whole career. But you know, anything can happen at any given moment. They traded Luka [Doncic], they traded Kevin Durant, they traded some all-time Hall of Famers. So you fall in line with that if it comes down to it."
Brown knows the reality of the NBA's business side well. Not only is he a Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association, but he has spent his nine years in the league living through trade rumors.
When he got drafted, the Celtics' fan base was hoping to see them use that pick in a trade for Jimmy Butler -- ideally, to help them sign Kevin Durant that offseason.
Then, there were rumblings about Boston trading Brown for Kawhi Leonard, as part of a package for Anthony Davis, and as a way to land Durant. To the benefit of the team and the city, none of those deals came to fruition.
Now, while Jayson Tatum rehabs from a torn Achilles tendon, the former All-NBA Second Team selection is showcasing what he can do with more responsibility offensively.
Brown is averaging 29.3 points, shooting 50 percent from the field, grabbing 6.2 rebounds, and dishing out 4.9 assists. He is a rising tide, lifting all boats, elevating the play of those around him with his scoring and facilitating. That has moved him into the top five on NBA.com's MVP ladder.
What the future holds for Brown and the Celtics is unpredictable. Michael Jordan finished his career with the Washington Wizards. Tom Brady spent his final years wearing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform. The former understands the odds are against anyone spending their entire career with one team in this era.
However, it would be as ironic as richly deserved for Brown to defy the odds and retire having played only for the Celtics.