In stream with Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown opens up about Celtics role, knee surgery

With Jayson Tatum anticipated to miss most of the 2025-26 NBA season due to an Achilles tear, Jaylen Brown is expected to shoulder increased responsibility for the Boston Celtics. Brown expressed readiness for this challenge during a conversation on Kyrie Irving’s Twitch livestream, where they debated Brown’s NBA 2K video game rating of 92 overall.

Brown acknowledged that his full potential has been masked by the Celtics' deep roster, requiring him to prioritize team success over individual stats. Irving, however, argued Brown deserved a 94 or 95 rating, citing Brown’s dominant offensive performance in the 2024 NBA Finals—where Brown averaged around 30 points and disrupted Irving’s Mavericks defensively. Brown respected Irving’s view but reiterated his commitment to team sacrifices without disputing the 92 rating.

Despite consistently averaging 20+ points for six seasons and earning four All-Star selections, Brown has often been the Celtics' secondary scorer behind Tatum. He demonstrated his capability as a primary option in the 2024 Finals, particularly with a near 30-point triple-double in Game 3 and elite defense on Luka Dončić, earning Finals MVP honors.

Celtics president Brad Stevens affirmed Brown’s readiness for the lead role in 2025-26, highlighting his strong performances in playoff games without Tatum. However, Brown is also rehabilitating from offseason arthroscopic knee surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus.