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Boston Celtics Rumors: Is Jaylen Brown’s Injury Serious?

By Adrian Lawhorn
Published on: 14:19 PST, Jul 7, 2016

Jaylen Brown’s injury during the Utah summer league had Boston Celtics fans holding their collective breath. Brown, the No. 3 overall pick in the recent 2016 NBA Draft, hyperextended his right knee while going after a loose ball during Boston’s summer league game against Philadelphia on July 4, according to ESPN.

Jaylen Brown underwent an MRI to determine the extent of his injury, and Brown and the Celtics were delighted about the resulting diagnosis: a bone bruise, which will cause the six-foot-seven forward from the state of Georgia to only miss a few days of action.

Brown, who is anxious to return to the court, wanted to play in the Celtics’ June 7 contest against San Antonio, but coaches decided to hold him out as a precaution.

“I want to play,” Brown said. “I know it’s summer league, but I want to play, so I’m gonna try to get back as soon as possible if I’m healthy. I’m gonna be very cautious, but I want to play.”

Since the Jaylen Brown injury turned out to be minor, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry plan to get him back in the lineup this coming weekend when Boston participates in the Las Vegas summer league.

“A couple days ago, during walk-through, he just got to sit and watch film with coach Stevens. He has to take opportunities like that to learn,” said Shrewsberry. “It doesn’t always have to be on the court. He wants to play, he wants to prove himself and show everybody how good he is. It’s still learning.”

Jaylen Brown is known for his open-court game and ability to take the ball to the basket. Because of this, he is likely to take some punishment at the hands of opposing NBA players — something he is already experiencing.

“It’s a man’s league. You’ve got to get your body prepared, you’ve got to put on some extra weight to make sure you can bump and grind with those big guys down there,” Brown said. “Getting to the line 17 times (as he did in Monday’s game against the 76ers), your body’s taking a beating down there. It’s taking a lot of pounding, so my body has to be prepared. Mentally, I have to be ready.”

Brown was a somewhat surprising and controversial choice when he was taken No. 3 overall by Boston this past month, which was detailed by the Inquisitr. He is thought to have a great deal of talent, but Brown is also raw and has a lot to learn in terms of his skill set. Celtics Hub has reported that Jaylen Brown was making an impressive showing in the Utah summer league prior to his knee injury, turning heads with his athleticism and aggression.

Whether Brown can continue his momentum when the NBA regular season rolls around is certainly up for debate; many players who have looked great in summer league have fallen off the map once the NBA season actually began. USA Today went as far as calling Jaylen Brown a “wasted pick” after he was chosen by the Celtics with the third overall draft choice.

One also has to wonder about Brown’s playing style, and how much pounding his body will take over an 82-game season; durability issues are sure to be a constant concern as his career moves forward.

The Boston Celtics and their first-round draft pick appear to have dodged a bullet with the latest update on his injured knee. However, questions will remain regarding his ability to stay healthy, and the quality of his play when he is in the team’s lineup.

[Photo by Kim Raff/AP Images]

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