Then-Cal star Brown predicted NBA Finals success at 2016 Warriors recreation

Then-Cal star Brown predicted NBA Finals success at 2016 Warriors recreation initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Bay Space

Jaylen Brown knew he can be particular lengthy earlier than he took residence the Invoice Russell NBA Finals MVP Award for his half within the Boston Celtics’ dominant 2024 NBA Finals run.

It was throughout pregame warmups at a 2016 finals recreation between the Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers at Oracle Enviornment that the then Cal Bear guard nice referred to as his shot.

“I’m Jaylen Brown, [I attend] California Berkeley proper up the road, [and] at some point I’ll be right here within the [NBA] Finals,” Brown mentioned … “I need to be right here so dangerous. I will likely be right here.” (h/t Level Ahead)

Throughout that night time in Oakland, the present Celtics wing was only a hopeful 2016 NBA Draft prospect.

Brown was coming off a powerful freshman marketing campaign in Berkeley, the place the then 19-year-old was an All-Pac-12 choice after averaging 14.6 factors, 5.4 rebounds and a pair of assists per recreation.

He additionally took Cal to the 2016 NCAA Event, which this system hasn’t returned to since.

Brown has come a good distance since he watched the Warriors and Cavs face off within the prime of their rivalry.

In reality, he was starstruck when watching Golden State gamers heat up — not but figuring out he would face off with some them within the 2022 NBA Finals.

“Proper now, I bought like an adrenaline rush,” Brown shared. “I’m watching Steph Curry heat up, I’m watching Andre Iguodala heat up. I really feel excited and able to go. The draft is true across the nook, and I’ll have my likelihood.”

Whereas Brown knew finally he would attain the NBA Finals as an expert, absolutely he couldn’t have imagined his first collection on the sport’s largest stage would come towards these exact same Warriors six years later, the place his Celtics would fall to Curry and Iguodala’s squad in six video games — discuss full circle.

Additionally within the video, Brown caught up with Iguodala, and the 2 wished one another luck earlier than tip-off.

“Andre, he was my coach on the NBA camp about three years in the past,” Brown mentioned in 2016. “So he simply got here as much as me, this was my first time seeing him in three years. He remembered me, and he mentioned he referred to as it. He mentioned I knew I’d be ‘right here.’

“It’s nearly unreal. It’s an incredible feeling. It means I’ve an opportunity to do one thing particular. He — I’m clearly distinctive. I respect Iggy, man. We’ve got a superb relationship… I don’t even understand how I’m presupposed to react to [what he said], but it surely feels nice.”

Igudola knew one thing about Brown that NBA scouts didn’t, as he had his eyes on the present finals MVP since he was in highschool.

Nevertheless, the scouts would catch as much as the now-retired 19-year NBA veteran, as Brown was chosen No. 3 general by the Celtics in 2016.

Brown, who has improved 12 months after 12 months, amazingly turned his imaginative and prescient right into a actuality. In addition to lately profitable his first title, Brown additionally grew to become — and nonetheless is — the highest-paid participant within the league — and it is historical past — after signing a five-year, $303.7M supermax extension final summer time, which was the primary $300 million contract an NBA participant has ever seen.

At 27 years previous, Brown averaged 23.9 factors, 5.9 rebounds and three.3 assists over 19 video games within the 2024 playoffs, and he earned finals MVP for admirable two-way efforts towards the Mavericks’ Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving.

Earlier than Brown made a reputation for himself within the NBA with Boston, he first was a high prospect and fan within the Bay, watching Golden State dominate like everybody else.

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