Jaylen Brown Is “Better Than” Jayson Tatum, Claims Ex-Lakers Star in Shocking Celtics Remark

In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki delivered a Finals MVP performance. Some analysts argued that he belonged in the same breath as Larry Bird among the greatest European-influenced forwards in NBA history. The comparison always faded under scrutiny, as Bird’s résumé, built across three championships and a rivalry that reshaped the league, was simply too deep. A different comparison to Bird just resurfaced between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Lonzo Ball made the case for Brown’s place in Celtics history on the Ball in the Family podcast. He was asked whether Brown’s jersey should be retired following Celtics president Brad Stevens’ recent comments suggesting it likely will be.

“I gotta see all the accolades, but if you line up Boston’s best players ever, he’s in my top five,” Ball said on the podcast. “So yeah, put that up there. Who’s messing with him on the wing? Only two wings that is better than him is Paul Pierce and Larry Bird.”

“So him? Tatum? He’s a little better than Tatum,” he continued. “He’s low-key frying Bird. I don’t want to be disrespectful — Bird is baking him too, but he’s baking Bird.”

Boston made the stunning decision this summer to trade Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George and draft compensation. It ended a partnership with Jayson Tatum that delivered a championship together in 2024, when Brown himself won Finals MVP.

For most of that partnership, Tatum was widely regarded as the superior player. The No. 1 overall Celtics developmental priority, the All-NBA First Team fixture, the face of the franchise.

Tatum missed most of the 2025-26 season. Brown proved during that stretch that he could operate as a team’s unquestioned primary option rather than a co-star.

Boston’s all-time roster includes Bill Russell, John Havlicek — the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 26,395 points, an eight-time champion who made 13 All-Star teams, 11 All-NBA teams, and eight All-Defensive teams — Bob Cousy, Kevin McHale, and Bird himself.

Slotting Brown, a five-time All-Star with one championship and one Finals MVP, above that group is hard. It requires setting aside decades of accumulated team success in favor of peak individual two-way ability.

Brown’s case, on merit, centers on his versatility. He is regarded as one of the more dynamic wing defenders of his generation, capable of guarding multiple positions at an elite level.

Why the Timing of Ball’s Comments on Jaylen Brown Matters as Much as the Claim Itself

Ball’s comments arrive during an active, ongoing conversation about how Brown’s exit from Boston actually unfolded. Reporting from ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel found that Brown’s Twitch livestreams during trade speculation became “one common theme” that sources pointed to as a source of internal friction, with what insiders described as “passive-aggressive behavior and slight under-the-radar jabs” frustrating the organization in the lead-up to the deal.

Brown himself posted cryptically on social media in June. He wrote “the neighbor’s rice always smells better” amid swirling trade rumors tied to Boston’s pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo, a message widely read as commentary on the front office’s willingness to pursue upgrades over him.

The “better than Tatum” claim will likely generate the most pushback. Given Tatum’s superior All-NBA track record and his standing as the more decorated player across the bulk of their shared tenure.