Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown has been doubted throughout his career, but he’s never let that stand in his way. In fact, it’s only given him more motivation to get better and better.

A great example of how far he’s come was on display during Boston’s 124-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Although the Sunday evening victory doesn’t do anything for the C’s in the standings, it kept Boston’s positive momentum rolling and saw Brown surpass 10,000 career points. That milestone has only been reached by 14 other players in the Celtics’ lengthy history.

When asked to reflect on the tremendous achievement, Brown emphasized his gratitude and hunger to accomplish more.

“To be honest, it speaks for itself. Coming from my background, single-parent household, you know, just my family. Being able to have the opportunity to change things. When you can look back on everything, all I can say is I’m incredibly grateful to be in this position. It’s been a lot of hard work and effort. But I’m extremely blessed at the same time, so I don’t take that for granted. And I’m looking forward to just continuing to grow, continuing to improve, and maximizing my potential,” Brown shared.

The Georgia native has come a long way since hearing some boos on draft night, as he’s now a three-time All-Star and the recipient of the richest contract in league history. Although there were online rumblings about whether or not Brown deserved that amount of money, the current longest-tenured Celtic has clearly proven he’s worthy of a hefty investment.

During the 2023-24 season, Brown is averaging 23.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, and a career-high 3.6 assists. Against the Blazers, he had a team-high 26 points while converting on 10 of his 17 shots from the floor. Brown’s improved efficiency has been a major part of his growth, as he’s shooting a career-high 50.1% from the field.

Thanks to Brown’s stardom and a potent starting five that also features Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porziņgis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, the Celtics are a stellar 62-16 overall.

While Boston’s ultimate goal remains in the postseason, Brown doesn’t want to overlook what his squad has been able to do so far.

“Anytime that you can win at a high level, you don’t take that for granted,” he said. “This is the most regular season wins I’ve ever had in my career. So that’s awesome. It’s just been great from top to bottom. Looking forward to carrying it over to the playoffs, but still don’t want to skip over how much work it takes to win 62 games, and counting, in a season.”

Brown then related his team’s regular season success to his own accolade.

“You know, same thing kind of scoring 10,000 points. It’s just a lot of hard work and effort that’s accumulated over the years. And you just want to take some of these moments to appreciate it and then get back to work,” he added.

The remaining work for Boston includes four regular season games and, most importantly, the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics already have the No. 1 seed locked up, however, they won’t know who their first-round opponent is until the conclusion of the Play-In Tournament. Regardless of who matches up with the C’s, they’ll be hungry to continue their pursuit for Banner No. 18.

Yet, before the grind of the playoffs begins, Brown wanted to thank the fans that have always had his back.

“For the day one JB fans who stayed in my corner since day one, I feel that love and I like to just show that love right back. There’s a lot of people here, in Boston, who’ve supported my career, my journey, and I’m grateful for that. That encourages me to just keep getting better. That encourages me to keep improving and proving the critics wrong.”