Aug 6 (Reuters) – Jaylen Brown said winning rather than individual scoring will guide his approach with the Philadelphia 76ers, as the former Boston Celtics star joins a roster loaded with offensive talent following his July trade.
Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, was formally introduced on Thursday after Philadelphia acquired him from Boston. He joins a revamped team featuring all-time leading scorer LeBron James, who arrived from the Los Angeles Lakers during the offseason, alongside former league MVP Joel Embiid, All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey and rising star VJ Edgecombe.
With several players accustomed to heavy scoring roles, Brown said he was prepared to adjust his game in pursuit of a championship.
“My focus is winning,” Brown told reporters. “My focus going into every practice, every meeting, every shootaround, every film session is like, ‘How do we win night in and night out?'”
“Sometimes that may change, sometimes it may look different, but whatever it takes,” he said. “At this point in my career, nothing else really moves me.”
Brown spent 10 seasons in Boston and won a championship with the Celtics. He has averaged 20 points a game in his career, but his most recent season was his most prolific, scoring more than 28 points a game.
He said Philadelphia’s collection of talent would mean little without sacrifice, communication and a shared commitment to the work required to contend.
“Obviously on paper we’re excellent,” Brown said. “But I’ve been around long enough to know that just what you have on paper don’t really mean nothing.”
He said distractions, personality conflicts and outside scrutiny could undermine the Sixers if the group does not come together.
“It could go either way,” Brown said. “It just takes the amount of work and the transparency and the leadership [that] can really guide this thing or not.”
LEARNING FROM LEBRON
Brown downplayed questions over hierarchy on a roster that includes James, a four-time NBA champion who at the age of 41 is still one of the league’s most prominent leaders.
“It doesn’t have to be anybody’s team,” Brown said. “It just needs to be based in respect and work.”
The 29-year-old said he hoped to learn from James and his new teammates, citing the veteran forward’s longevity and ability to navigate challenges on and off the court.
“One of my favorite things to do is learn,” Brown said. “I can’t wait to just soak up as much information as I can and apply it to myself.”
Brown said he remained grateful for his decade in Boston, describing it as “a perfect cycle” after the Celtics’ title run. He said he held no ill will toward former teammate Jayson Tatum, despite acknowledging they had not spoken much since the trade.
“On my end, it’s nothing but respect,” Brown said.
Brown also said he planned to continue his community and philanthropic work in Philadelphia as he settles into the new city.
(Reporting by Ashraf Fahim and Rory Carroll)
Comments