Celtics’ Jaylen Brown weighs legacy after inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic win

BOSTON — The history of the Boston Celtics hangs in the rafters of TD Garden and is deeply embedded in the parquet floor. But, those inanimate objects don’t quite do it justice. A better example of it was on Sunday afternoon during the inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic between the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, when members and relatives of Celtics past breathed life into the Green Team’s history with their presence.

To honor the 75th anniversary of NBA pioneers Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, who were the league’s first Black players, the Celtics invited their family members to the Sunday night showdown and applauded them before the game.

"It's an honor to speak on the behalf of some of our legends."

Jaylen Brown, joined by family members of Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and Earl Lloyd, addresses the crowd ahead the inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/4vzfwELFN7

— NBA (@NBA) February 1, 2026

Cooper was the first Black player drafted into the NBA, as the Celtics selected him in the second round of the 1950 NBA Draft. And while Lloyd and Clifton don’t have direct ties to the C’s, there were plenty of other people in attendance who did.

For example, the Celtics welcomed Julie Auerbach Flieger, the granddaughter of legendary Celtics executive Red Auerbach, and Karen Kenyatta Russell, the daughter of Celtics legend and 13-time NBA champion Bill Russell.  Russell’s former teammate and Celtics Hall of Famer Tom “Satch” Sanders was also honored during the Celtics’ 107-79 win over the Bucks:

The Celtics welcome back the legendary Tom “Satch” Sanders, who won 8 titles with the C’s: pic.twitter.com/4mVzLEfvdR

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 1, 2026

The family of K.C. Jones, an 8-time NBA champion with the Celtics, and Sam Jones, a 10-time champion with the Celtics, watched on as current Celtics star Jaylen Brown recorded a game-high 30 points and 13 rebounds.

While surrounded by living, breathing Celtics history, Brown decided the first Pioneers Classic was a success.

“It was awesome,” he said in the locker room. “I think it was pretty cool to be able to pay homage to people of the past…To know where you’re going, you got to know where you came from. So, I thought the NBA did a good job of honoring some of those guys.”

Following the 28-point victory, Brown spoke with Russell, the daughter of a man, an athlete, and a civil rights leader he looks up to.

“His legacy here in Boston, everything that he stood for, his experiences as well, have contributed to how I use my platform in 2026 and so forth,” Brown said of Bill Russell.

What legacy Jaylen Brown wants to leave with the Celtics

All of this history and discussion of generational impact caused Brown to weigh his own legacy with the Celtics.

“As you continue to progress throughout the journey, legacy is something that you think about,” he said. “Legacy is something that stands out, and the best legacy that you can leave is winning.”

So far, the five-time All-Star has forged a winning legacy in Boston by refusing to miss the playoffs during his 10-year NBA career. In fact, Brown even lifted the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy high above his head after winning a title in 2024, which is a great way of honoring the award’s namesake.

Jaylen Brown wins the Bill Russell Trophy as the 2024 #NBAFinals MVP! pic.twitter.com/ePINrAOdx4

— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024

However, if there’s anything Russell appreciated more than winning, it was helping others and advocating for social justice. Brown has carried on that legacy as well, taking care of the Boston community since he was drafted there a decade ago and emphasizing the importance of education and equality whenever he can.

“On top of winning, [legacy] is also how you affected the community,” Brown said. “Two things that I take pride in, being able to win basketball games, win a championship — hopefully more — and being able to affect my community in a positive way. That’s what you invest in. That’s what I invest in as a player, that’s my investment as a Boston Celtic and as a member of my family.”

Brown wasn’t the only Celtic who sensed the palpable history in the building on Sunday. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla always harps on the importance of the Green Team’s predecessors, and he reiterated that salient message.

“We’re fortunate enough, working for the Celtics, we just have history around us all the time,” he stated. “This job wouldn’t be what it was, and this team wouldn’t be what it was, if the people before you didn’t leave it better than they found it. And so, you have the responsibility to do the same.”

Joe Mazzulla on the first NBA Pioneers Classic and speaking to Bill Russell’s daughter and seeing Satch Sanders at TD Garden today:

“We just have history around us all the time.” pic.twitter.com/Z8f1Trp0TX

— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) February 1, 2026

Brown and Mazzulla have helped improve the Celtics since they arrived in Beantown, especially this season. The Celtics are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference and moved to 31-18 overall after handing the Bucks their fifth straight loss.

“History is one of my favorite subjects,” Brown mentioned. “A lot of history [here]. A lot of great players have played for this organization. So, it’s an honor to continue that.”

After celebrating the past, the Celtics will look to the immediate future. They quickly hopped on a plane headed for Texas on Sunday night, as they face the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday and the Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Just because the Celtics are focused on the present doesn’t mean they’ll forget their rich history, though.

“Build intergenerationally,” Brown recommended. “Being able to connect with people who came before gives you information, gives you wisdom, so as you move forward, you know exactly what you need to do.”

The post Celtics’ Jaylen Brown weighs legacy after inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic win appeared first on ClutchPoints.