NBA
#3 Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
With the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics selected forward Jaylen Brown.
It’s been no secret that the first two picks would be used on Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram. However, it was not clear what the Celtics would do with the third overall pick, especially since the Boston has been one of the most active teams in trade talks. Reports surfaced that the Celtics were in advance trade talks with the Chicago Bulls to acquire swingman Jimmy Butler, but not deal materialized and the Celtics instead selected Jaylen Brown out of the University of California Berkley.
Brown, a 6’7 forward, averaged 14.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and two steals per game in his one season of college ball. Brown’s stats won’t blow you away (especially his 29.4 percent mark from three-point range), however, he does have good physical tools for the small forward position and may have the capability of playing small-ball four in specific matchups.
Brown has a lot of potential, but he will need to work on his shooting mechanics and ball-handling. However, Brown is regarded as an intelligent, physical player with strong defensive abilities, so he may fit right in under Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
