Boston Celtics: Jaylen Brown has the mentality of a super star

Talent aside, Boston Celtics second-year swingman Jaylen Brown is proving he has the mentality to be a superstar in the NBA. 

In the words of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, Boston Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown is coming.

If his last two performances against the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks are any indication, he has already arrived.  Brown was clutch, scoring 22 points against the reigning NBA champions on Thursday and he followed that up with a 27-point performance against the Hawks on Saturday.

All of this following the death of his best friend.  Inspired, Brown has not only showcased the talent he has to become a consistent scorer in this league, he has also displayed a level of maturity in his development.  Having the ability to pull himself together and lead the team to victory following a tragedy has gained the respect of his teammates.  It has also demonstrated how strong he is mentally.

Veteran big man Al Horford expressed how proud he was of Brown following his clutch performance on Thursday.

"“Much respect for him, because that’s difficult and he was hurting,” Horford said, via ESPN.  “He is hurting.  It was one of those things where I didn’t know if he was gonna play tonight, but it just speaks of his character.  Some people deal with it different ways.  Some people need to get away.  He was able to put all that aside and play, so I’m very proud of him.”"

In fact, without Jaylen Brown on Thursday, the Boston Celtics winning streak would’ve ended against the Warriors.  His intensity on the defensive end and the spark he gave the team offensively enabled the team to come back from not one, but two 17-point deficits to eventually close out Golden State.

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The passion to win

The type of passion he displayed for the game and for winning ignited his teammates.  However, that type of passion has been seen all season long and glimpses of it was seen during the playoffs last season.

With a high ceiling, Jaylen Browns path to NBA stardom may have not reached its destination yet, but with the improvement he has made offensively and defensively has him on an accelerated pace to get there.

For a player of his age, only his own mentality could roadblock his drive.  With how he has played through adversity – including the season-ending injury to Gordon Hayward – this young man has the mental focus to be special.  It could be argued that he is the one player the team can’t afford to lose.

Next: The 5 faces of the Boston Celtics: The coach, the stars and the future

Think about it, he is the only key player not to miss any time during the team’s current 15-game winning streak.