Sometimes, there can be such a thing as too much talent on an NBA team, especially when that talent isn’t seeing eye to eye on how they should work together as a unit. Such was the case with Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown when Kyrie Irving was on his team, as Celtics fans recall far too well.
“Me and Kyrie didn’t really see eye to eye when we was here,” explained Brown of his relationship with the mercurial floor general while Irving was a member of the Celtics in a recent interview with The Ringer’s Logan Murdock. “Really at all.”
“Sometimes—and I could say this for myself—sometimes our individual goals are before the team goals, and he had to adjust,” suggested Irving.
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“You think about our team,” he continued. “I want you to really look back at our team that we had and see how talented we were.”
“And we had a lockup in every position. It was two, three guys in every position. So it was not only competitive with me and JB, but it was competitive amongst all of us. And that wasn’t the best recipe for team success if you’re competing with your brothers every day.”
Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris Sr., and even an injured Gordon Hayward had individuals goals that did not necessarily align with the team’s, and as Brown tried to find his way in the league as a player, it’s surprising such cross-interests did not come to a head more than they did.
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“I lost my grandfather my second year in Boston, so it was my first time really losing someone close like that to me, other than my mom and my grandmother when I was young,” offered Irving on his final season with the Celtics.
“So me being in Boston, not being home, not having that emotional support, I really felt alone, even though I wasn’t alone. So I didn’t really connect with everybody as much as I should, and I didn’t open up as much as I should.”
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— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 21, 2023
We all know what happened next regarding Irving’s tenure in Boston, but during the NBA’s pandemic shutdown, Irving contacted Brown to try and mend some fences.
“He reached out to me, kind of let me know what his experience was when he was in Boston, what he was feeling,” explained the Georgia native.
“I understood what he was going through personally. So, life is a journey. We all got ups and downs. And most of all, we don’t always handle everything in the perfect media-appropriate demeanor. Kyrie, one thing about him, he going to be who he is.”
“I appreciate that,” said Brown.
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— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 21, 2023
“Kyrie is one of those people who isn’t afraid of being wrong,” continued Brown, perhaps making reference to Irving’s decision to share an antisemitic video earlier this season.
“He isn’t afraid of being embarrassed. He’s not afraid of big moments either, doing great things. He’s one of those people that’s special. We see him at the top of the world, and we see him make some mistakes as well. But I appreciate the fact that the fear factor for him, even though he might have been afraid, didn’t stop him from doing or saying what he felt was right, for what he felt he needed to do. And that doesn’t exist in 99% of people.”
“So, people can say what they want about Kyrie Irving, but he’s definitely my friend,” said Brown.
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— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 21, 2023
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