Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown. David Butler II-Imagn Images

Jaylen Brown speaks out on All-Defensive snub: 'People only care about offense'

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 10/13/24

Jaylen Brown emerged as one of the best on-ball defenders in the NBA last season. He thrived when facing opponents' best player, regardless of positional matchup or size disadvantage. On a Boston Celtics team full of elite defenders, Brown often stood out as the most versatile of the bunch.

However, Brown was snubbed during the All-Defensive team voting despite his stellar rearguard showings. During a news conference following Boston's 139-89 preseason victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday, Brown verbalized some of his frustrations with being overlooked.

"I felt like I should have (made an All-Defensive team) last season," Brown said. "I felt like I took every defensive matchup all season long. I guarded the best player on every team. Picked up full court, whether it was point guards, centers, whatever. People don't pay attention to that (intricacies) of defense, people only care about offense. That's it."

According to Cleaning The Glass, the Celtics were -8.9 points worse when Brown was off the court, with 3.1 of those points being attributed to points additional allowed by the Celtics defense. Brown has long been billed as a two-way wing with enough upside to become one of the best in the world for his position and role.

Now that he's entering the new season as an NBA champion with three All-Star selections to his name, there's a chance he will get the recognition he deserves for the work he puts in on the defensive end. Nevertheless, Brown must look past the individual recognition and continue performing for the team, as that's what set it apart last season despite being the most talented roster in the NBA.

The Celtics have built their identity on defense. They finished last season as the second-ranked team in the NBA and held their postseason opponents to under 100 points in 11 of their 19 outings.

Brown played a significant role in those defensive performances. Sooner or later, he will get the recognition he deserves. But for now, focusing on his own performance and controlling what he can control is the best way for him to continue proving himself.

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