Lonzo Ball believes Jaylen Brown belongs among the greatest Boston Celtics ever and ranks him ahead of former teammate Jayson Tatum.
Speaking on the Ball in the Family podcast, Ball placed Brown behind only Larry Bird and Paul Pierce among Celtics wings while making his preference between Boston’s recent stars clear.
“The only two wings is better to him is Paul Pierce and Larry Bird. I was going to say Larry Bird. Larry and Paul. That’s him. Boom. So him? Tatum? He’s a little better than Tatum,” Ball said, via ClutchPoints.
Brown’s case has strengthened significantly over the past several seasons, with his 2025-26 campaign representing the highest-scoring season of his career. The 29-year-old averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists in 71 games while shooting 47.7% from the field, 34.7% from three-point range and 79.5% from the free-throw line.
Brown also finished sixth in MVP voting and earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2025-26. His scoring average surpassed his previous career high of 26.6 points per game, set in 2022-23.
The evolution has been substantial since Brown entered the league in 2016-17. He averaged only 6.6 points as a rookie but developed into a 20-point scorer by his fourth season, reaching 24.7 points in 2020-21 and becoming an All-Star.
Across 10 seasons, Brown has averaged 20.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 47.8% from the field. He has made four All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams, including Second Team selections in 2022-23 and 2025-26.
Tatum’s résumé, however, remains considerably longer in terms of individual recognition. Before playing only 16 games in 2025-26, Tatum had earned five consecutive All-NBA First Team selections from 2020-21 through 2024-25.
The 28-year-old averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in his 16 appearances during the 2025-26 season, although he shot 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from three. His career averages remain higher than Brown’s at 23.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.
Tatum also has the stronger regular-season peak by traditional statistical measures, averaging 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 2022-23 while finishing fourth in MVP voting. He followed that with another All-NBA First Team selection in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Boston’s current roster also reflects how dramatically the franchise has changed. The Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks as part of an effort to avoid the second apron and create additional financial flexibility.
That move leaves Tatum as Boston’s established centerpiece alongside George and Derrick White. Brown, meanwhile, begins a new chapter in Philadelphia after producing the best scoring season of his career.
