Jaylen Brown would enter the Slam Dunk Contest again.
Jaylen Brown brushed off criticism for his dunk competition performance, claiming he has more in the tank for a potential Round Two.
His notion about why other stars don’t participate in the All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest was partially true for him. Many criticized Brown’s play, and the crowd booed him for the scores that advanced him to the finals, where he lost to G-Leaguer Mac McClung.
“F*** it. “I’ll do it again,” Brown said during shootaround on Thursday. “I don’t really care about memes and such. As previously said, I believe that dunking is an art form. Obviously, I believe I have more in the tank than what I demonstrated. I believe I could perform better. I had a terrific time; things didn’t go as planned for whatever reason, but I thought it was a great learning opportunity for me. I had fun. That is the bottom line for me.
Following All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, he spent the remainder of the break in Puerto Rico, visiting with government officials and other significant personalities in the island and hosting a basketball camp for youngsters through his charity. He was inspired to start connecting more individuals throughout the world to address common challenges.
Brown’s interactions with officials and Anuel AA, a Puerto Rican artist who also participates in community work, centered on education, namely the lack of resources and opportunity for the island’s impoverished communities. He sees collaboration as a method to strengthen the movement. Locals also informed Brown that Tacko Fall would be arriving shortly to play on the island, so Brown made it clear that they would gladly welcome him.
“Most people would be like, ‘man, you only have a short amount of time, I would’ve spent that doing nothing,'” Brown went on to say. “But the idea is to recharge, to refocus, and to find more of an ignition in preparation for the second half of the season. Nothing motivates me more than assisting others and discussing how to improve the world. Not only was I able to enjoy the island of Puerto Rico and the nice weather, but I was also able to connect with the people and see how I can use my platform to bring greater popularity through basketball, notoriety in the community, and so on. That is the finest method to refresh for me. So, I thank PR for inviting me.”
The Celtics defeated the Bulls to open the second half on Thursday, and Brown returned from his lengthy layoff with 21 points on 7-for-12 shooting, five rebounds, and five assists. He said he felt OK after the dunk contest, which can occasionally deplete athletes. His strategy did not attempt to amaze with the most physically demanding dunks, but rather with showmanship, which he recognized the audience might not appreciate. Adam Silver commended Brown for drawing attention to the tragedy.
He’s now moving on to the second half, emphasizing flexibility as Boston closes the season. Joe Mazzulla previewed that, noting around ten things or enhancements to the Celtics that he analyzed over the All-Star break and will begin applying across
