Author Topic: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times  (Read 7237 times)

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Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« on: March 17, 2023, 11:15:58 PM »

Offline footey

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It's behind a pay wall, but below is the relevant part discussing Boston and the Celtics:

"Brown made his second All-Star team this season, and his career-best 26.8 points a game places him among the top guards in scoring. He could be a free agent after next season, but he said he isn’t thinking about that yet. “I’ve been able to make a lot of connections in the city, meet a lot of amazing families who have dedicated their lives to issues about change,” he said.

Brown, who is Black, has spoken publicly about racism in Boston, where about half the population is white and about a quarter is Black. In 2015, a jolting study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston estimated that the Black households in the Boston area had a median wealth of close to zero, while the figure for white households was $247,500. “The wealth disparity in Boston is ridiculous,” Brown said.

What has your experience been like as a Black professional athlete in Boston?

There’s multiple experiences: as an athlete, as a basketball player, as a regular civilian, as somebody who’s trying to start a business, as someone who’s trying to do things in the community.

There’s not a lot of room for people of color, Black entrepreneurs, to come in and start a business.

I think that my experience there has been not as fluid as I thought it would be.

What do you mean by that?

Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

Other athletes have spoken about the negative way that fans have treated Black athletes while playing in Boston. Have you experienced any of that?

I have, but I pretty much block it all out. It’s not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within the Celtic nation that is problematic. If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character.

I definitely think there’s a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform, or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that’s a problem to me."

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2023, 11:23:46 PM »

Online Roy H.

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Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

I’d be curious to hear him elaborate on this.


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Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2023, 11:30:30 PM »

Offline gouki88

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Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

I’d be curious to hear him elaborate on this.
Me too. I would love to hear about the difficulty a multi-millionaire has in buying a house.
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Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2023, 12:05:58 AM »

Offline knuckleballer

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Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

I’d be curious to hear him elaborate on this.
Me too. I would love to hear about the difficulty a multi-millionaire has in buying a house.

Brown bought a $7.8 million home in Wellesley in July, 2020. 

“Located in Wellesley, MA, his seven-bedroom mansion is a modern vision with clean lines everywhere. Brown bought the place in July 2020 for $7.8 million and might have scored a bargain in the process. The sleek home on 1.53 acres took three years to build and initially hit the market in January 2020 for $11 million. After a series of price cuts, Brown swooped in with his offer.”  https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/nba-cribs-homes-of-the-boston-celtics/amp/

Wellesley is one of the wealthiest towns in the country.

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2023, 01:44:35 AM »

Offline ozgod

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Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

I’d be curious to hear him elaborate on this.
Me too. I would love to hear about the difficulty a multi-millionaire has in buying a house.

Brown bought a $7.8 million home in Wellesley in July, 2020. 

“Located in Wellesley, MA, his seven-bedroom mansion is a modern vision with clean lines everywhere. Brown bought the place in July 2020 for $7.8 million and might have scored a bargain in the process. The sleek home on 1.53 acres took three years to build and initially hit the market in January 2020 for $11 million. After a series of price cuts, Brown swooped in with his offer.”  https://www.realtor.com/news/celebrity-real-estate/nba-cribs-homes-of-the-boston-celtics/amp/

Wellesley is one of the wealthiest towns in the country.

Lots of people lining up at the SVB branch in Wellesley last week trying to take their money out  :angel:
Any odd typos are because I suck at typing on an iPhone :D

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2023, 01:46:59 AM »

Offline ozgod

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It's behind a pay wall, but below is the relevant part discussing Boston and the Celtics:

"Brown made his second All-Star team this season, and his career-best 26.8 points a game places him among the top guards in scoring. He could be a free agent after next season, but he said he isn’t thinking about that yet. “I’ve been able to make a lot of connections in the city, meet a lot of amazing families who have dedicated their lives to issues about change,” he said.

Brown, who is Black, has spoken publicly about racism in Boston, where about half the population is white and about a quarter is Black. In 2015, a jolting study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston estimated that the Black households in the Boston area had a median wealth of close to zero, while the figure for white households was $247,500. “The wealth disparity in Boston is ridiculous,” Brown said.

What has your experience been like as a Black professional athlete in Boston?

There’s multiple experiences: as an athlete, as a basketball player, as a regular civilian, as somebody who’s trying to start a business, as someone who’s trying to do things in the community.

There’s not a lot of room for people of color, Black entrepreneurs, to come in and start a business.

I think that my experience there has been not as fluid as I thought it would be.

What do you mean by that?

Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

Other athletes have spoken about the negative way that fans have treated Black athletes while playing in Boston. Have you experienced any of that?

I have, but I pretty much block it all out. It’s not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within the Celtic nation that is problematic. If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character.

I definitely think there’s a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform, or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that’s a problem to me."


Surprised to hear this and would like to know more details.
Any odd typos are because I suck at typing on an iPhone :D

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2023, 06:14:15 AM »

Offline GetLucky

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Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

I’d be curious to hear him elaborate on this.
Me too. I would love to hear about the difficulty a multi-millionaire has in buying a house.

I thought this, like Jaylen's other statements about his experience with racism and treatment as an athlete, was pretty straightforward, and (mostly) not something exclusive to Boston. I think the racism comments can be taken either way, but it's certainly one of the more diplomatic answers an athlete has given, including Boston's own players. It bothers me that the media only asks this about Boston, but I don't think anything Jaylen said is false. The business/housing comments I chalk up to youth.

For example, buying/leasing retail property in Seaport and starting a clothing brand and foundation (7uice) is really hard, and frankly, as someone who has worked with professional athletes before, it is harder and a different kind of business than most high draft picks are used to. It's less name/image/likeness and more money/power/connections, and most athletes as business-inclined as Jaylen are are hesitant to overspend in business endeavors. They're used to low-risk endeavors like endorsement deals. And, as young men who have about 15 years to make enough money to last them and their families, they are understandably hesitant to engage in capital-intensive business deals. This is compounded by the fact that people have probably been trying to take advantage of them for years.

Additionally, like most business verticals, Boston commercial real estate is cut-throat and gate-kept in its own unique ways. For example, a friend of mine was talking to a bubble tea shop in Newton that was bidding on the rights to lease a small commercial property in Harvard Square, and their max of $18,000/month was swiftly rejected in favor of a higher, foreign bidder. I've heard rumors that the CVS on JFK Street pays over $100,000 per month. Money talks, but only if you have the most and are willing to spend it. Imagine the shock a rookie celebrity must have had to realize his small-footprint clothing store would cost 5-figures a month to have a retail location.

Additionally, Wellesley is a really weird place to live and does not like outsiders. It's predominantly white (77.1% of pop, according to the census), and Asian (13.2%, which is likely heavily skewed by Wellesley College and Babson). Only 2.9% Black/African, which I'd also imagine is mostly college students.

I've had Asian friends who have absolutely experienced covert and overt racism in Wellesley, most having to do with White residents who assume they are students and will brazenly and profanely tell them to move out as soon as possible and that they are not welcome. And, not that it matters, but these are very quiet and 2nd+ generation Americans whose primary language is English. They are certainly not instigating any of these happenings.

Boston is my favorite city in the US and certainly, in my opinion, one of the better places to live. But, like all places, it has its warts, which are definitely compounded for pro athletes by an intensely passionate fan base.

Sources: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/wellesleycdpmassachusetts#

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2023, 08:01:50 AM »

Offline Kernewek

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It's behind a pay wall, but below is the relevant part discussing Boston and the Celtics:

"Brown made his second All-Star team this season, and his career-best 26.8 points a game places him among the top guards in scoring. He could be a free agent after next season, but he said he isn’t thinking about that yet. “I’ve been able to make a lot of connections in the city, meet a lot of amazing families who have dedicated their lives to issues about change,” he said.

Brown, who is Black, has spoken publicly about racism in Boston, where about half the population is white and about a quarter is Black. In 2015, a jolting study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston estimated that the Black households in the Boston area had a median wealth of close to zero, while the figure for white households was $247,500. “The wealth disparity in Boston is ridiculous,” Brown said.

What has your experience been like as a Black professional athlete in Boston?

There’s multiple experiences: as an athlete, as a basketball player, as a regular civilian, as somebody who’s trying to start a business, as someone who’s trying to do things in the community.

There’s not a lot of room for people of color, Black entrepreneurs, to come in and start a business.

I think that my experience there has been not as fluid as I thought it would be.

What do you mean by that?

Even being an athlete, you would think that you’ve got a certain amount of influence to be able to have experiences, to be able to have some things that doors open a little bit easier. But even with me being who I am, trying to start a business, trying to buy a house, trying to do certain things, you run into some adversity.

Other athletes have spoken about the negative way that fans have treated Black athletes while playing in Boston. Have you experienced any of that?

I have, but I pretty much block it all out. It’s not the whole Celtic fan base, but it is a part of the fan base that exists within the Celtic nation that is problematic. If you have a bad game, they tie it to your personal character.

I definitely think there’s a group or an amount within the Celtic nation that is extremely toxic and does not want to see athletes use their platform, or they just want you to play basketball and entertain and go home. And that’s a problem to me."


Surprised to hear this and would like to know more details.

We’re surprised that there’s a mostly consistent narrative coming from black athletes who play for Boston-based teams? Really?
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Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2023, 09:06:22 AM »

Offline ChillyWilly

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I'm burnt out with celebrity activists. Count me in on the small part of Celtics nation who doesnt care what you do outside of basketball, as long as it doesnt hurt the basketball product. Just like I dont care what my dentist does outside of cleaning my teeth or the person bagging my groceries at Stop and Shop.

Use your platform for whatever you want but stop acting like I'm suppose to care outside of dribble, drive and shoot.
ok fine

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2023, 09:07:06 AM »

Offline PAOBoston

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I think he was pretty fair about the racism in Boston stuff. The city has a history and still continues with the issue (like many other cities in the country).

The part of this interview that really bothered me was his freaking hypocrisy about his support for Kanye and Kyrie and the Black Islaelites. He claims racism against Blacks/African Americans but literally continues support for antisemites in the same article. He was asked about his support for Kanye and he just responded “Next question.” Just a super lame reply and just so hypocritical. It is so hard to take him seriously. You can’t claim to be an activist for civil rights/racism and in the same breath support the likes of Kanye and Kyrie. It was disappointing to read that.

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2023, 09:33:02 AM »

Offline timpiker

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I'm burnt out with celebrity activists. Count me in on the small part of Celtics nation who doesnt care what you do outside of basketball, as long as it doesnt hurt the basketball product. Just like I dont care what my dentist does outside of cleaning my teeth or the person bagging my groceries at Stop and Shop.

Use your platform for whatever you want but stop acting like I'm suppose to care outside of dribble, drive and shoot.

Me too. 

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2023, 09:37:16 AM »

Offline jambr380

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I think he was pretty fair about the racism in Boston stuff. The city has a history and still continues with the issue (like many other cities in the country).

The part of this interview that really bothered me was his freaking hypocrisy about his support for Kanye and Kyrie and the Black Islaelites. He claims racism against Blacks/African Americans but literally continues support for antisemites in the same article. He was asked about his support for Kanye and he just responded “Next question.” Just a super lame reply and just so hypocritical. It is so hard to take him seriously. You can’t claim to be an activist for civil rights/racism and in the same breath support the likes of Kanye and Kyrie. It was disappointing to read that.

Yeah, this isn't receiving enough attention. I obviously like Jaylen as a basketball player, but his views leave a lot to be desired. People should just stop giving him attention as if he is one of the league's great minds.

The fact that he won't just come out and denounce the words of Kanye and Kyrie speaks volumes and makes his platform about social equality a pretty empty one imo.

Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2023, 09:50:42 AM »

Offline Phantom255x

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I think he was pretty fair about the racism in Boston stuff. The city has a history and still continues with the issue (like many other cities in the country).

The part of this interview that really bothered me was his freaking hypocrisy about his support for Kanye and Kyrie and the Black Islaelites. He claims racism against Blacks/African Americans but literally continues support for antisemites in the same article. He was asked about his support for Kanye and he just responded “Next question.” Just a super lame reply and just so hypocritical. It is so hard to take him seriously. You can’t claim to be an activist for civil rights/racism and in the same breath support the likes of Kanye and Kyrie. It was disappointing to read that.

Yeah, this isn't receiving enough attention. I obviously like Jaylen as a basketball player, but his views leave a lot to be desired. People should just stop giving him attention as if he is one of the league's great minds.

The fact that he won't just come out and denounce the words of Kanye and Kyrie speaks volumes and makes his platform about social equality a pretty empty one imo.

Yeah even on NBA reddit everyone is calling him out for it. Hard to really take Jaylen seriously on the off-the-court stuff when he can't even denounce Kayne and Kyrie.

And also, what Jaylen said about the fanbase, isn't that literally true of every fanbase? I mean maybe not the smaller ones like Charlotte, but almost all of them are like that with some "bad apples". It just is what it is.
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Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2023, 10:26:27 AM »

Offline Moranis

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I think he was pretty fair about the racism in Boston stuff. The city has a history and still continues with the issue (like many other cities in the country).

The part of this interview that really bothered me was his freaking hypocrisy about his support for Kanye and Kyrie and the Black Islaelites. He claims racism against Blacks/African Americans but literally continues support for antisemites in the same article. He was asked about his support for Kanye and he just responded “Next question.” Just a super lame reply and just so hypocritical. It is so hard to take him seriously. You can’t claim to be an activist for civil rights/racism and in the same breath support the likes of Kanye and Kyrie. It was disappointing to read that.

Yeah, this isn't receiving enough attention. I obviously like Jaylen as a basketball player, but his views leave a lot to be desired. People should just stop giving him attention as if he is one of the league's great minds.

The fact that he won't just come out and denounce the words of Kanye and Kyrie speaks volumes and makes his platform about social equality a pretty empty one imo.

Yeah even on NBA reddit everyone is calling him out for it. Hard to really take Jaylen seriously on the off-the-court stuff when he can't even denounce Kayne and Kyrie.

And also, what Jaylen said about the fanbase, isn't that literally true of every fanbase? I mean maybe not the smaller ones like Charlotte, but almost all of them are like that with some "bad apples". It just is what it is.
and that probably isn't race oriented most of the time. Fan is short for fanatic for a reason.  Some fans just get nuts about "their" team.
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Re: Jaylen Brown interview in NY Times
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2023, 10:54:36 AM »

Offline Dchuck

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He gone  :-\