Jaylen Brown first Boston Celtics player on TIME magazine cover since Larry Bird

BOSTON -- Jaylen Brown's busy summer is over, as the Celtics are preparing to tip off their preseason slate in Abu Dhabi on Friday. But first, Brown had to add to his long list of summer accomplishments.

Fresh off winning his first NBA title (as well as Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP honors) Brown is front and center on the cover of TIME Magazine, looking dapper and spinning a basketball on his finger. He is the first Celtics player to grace the cover of TIME since Larry Bird back in 1984.

But Brown isn't featured for the many incredible things he can do on the basketball court. Brown is featured on TIME's 2024 "100 Next" list, which recognizes "100 emerging leaders from across the world who are shaping the future." 

Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick wrote a brief profile on Brown, who praised the 27-year-old as a "beacon of hope" for his work off the court. 

"Jaylen isn't just an athlete; he's a beacon of hope, showing us that true power lies in lifting others up. I stand with him, inspired by the path he's paving for us all," wrote Kaepernick.

TIME's Sean Gregory has a much more in-depth look at Brown's work both on the court and in the community, and it's definitely worth a read for Celtics fans. While Brown doesn't go into his Olympic snub, he had plenty to say about his work in the Boston community, his determination to continue Boston's winning ways, and his relationship with Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown goes deep on his goals in the community

Over the summer, Brown launched his new nonprofit, Boston XChange, with a goal to  "build generational wealth and foster cultural innovation in underserved and underrepresented communities." He also launched a similar program in Oakland, California along with Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.

Back when he signed his $304 million extension with the Celtics in 2023, Brown said that his goal was to bring "Black Wall Street" to Boston. 

"This is not something that will happen overnight," Brown said to TIME. "My goal is to be able to use all the resources I can, at 27 years old, and align with like-minded individuals to throw everything we've got at this thing." 

Brown told TIME that he'll soon be announcing a financial commitment to help tackle the racial wealth gap in Boston. 

"I plan on allocating a significant amount of resources in order to see one, a better Boston and two, a better America," he said. 

TIME says Jaylen Brown might be "the most consequential player in the NBA"

In his feature, Gregory holds Brown in extremely high regard.

"Given his off-court ambitions to deliver real social change, leadership status on the executive committee of the NBA players union, and drive to deliver another title to one of the NBA's signature franchises, proving in the process that he might have made Team USA's path to a gold just a bit easier, Brown might just be the most consequential player in the NBA," wrote Gregory.

Brown said that he wants to change the way people view athletes, and how athletes view themselves. 

"I want to encourage the next generation [to] think for themselves," he said. "I identify as both, intellect and athlete. And I wouldn't say any one more than the other. I want my legacy to balance the two."

Brown reacts to being called "too smart for the NBA"

Before the Celtics drafted Brown third overall in 2016, some scouts saw him as "too smart for the NBA." The TIME story highlights how Brown pushed himself academically in his one year at UCLA, when he took classes on global poverty and student activism. He also took a graduate-level course: "Theoretical Foundations for the Cultural Study of Sport in Education."

While that class wasn't normally open to freshmen, Brown received an A and wrote his final paper on "chess as a metaphor for engagement with the world." It doesn't sound like something your typical future NBA player would study or write, but Brown was not (and still isn't) your typical NBA player.

Brown heard those "too smart for the NBA" whispers ahead of the draft, but had no idea why that was a red flag.

"I was confused," he said. "Part of me was maybe flattered. But at the same time, I didn't understand what it meant."

Jaylen Brown on his relationship with Jayson Tatum and winning more titles in Boston

Remember those days when critics said that Brown and Jayson Tatum couldn't win together? That they didn't even like each other?

"We have a championship-level relationship," Brown told TIME of his relationship with Tatum. "History is going to remember us both for what we accomplished this past season. And I think we have a lot more in store for people."

Tatum and Brown are going to be the pillars of Boston basketball for years to come. And with their entire core from last year's championship team back this season, Brown foresees big things for the Celtics.

"Our confidence level is through the roof," said Brown. "We've got a great group. We've got a good window. So we want to make sure that we maximize everything that we possibly can. Nothing is promised. So I'm looking forward to getting back with the guys and getting the journey back on again. It's a lot of fun in the process, and the results will take care of itself."

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