The Boston Celtics are expected to have a bizarre 2025-26 season without their superstar, Jayson Tatum. It is time for Jaylen Brown to step up, but Celtics icon Bob Cousy feels Brown is not enough.
Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics‘ biggest star, as evidenced by his four All-NBA First Team nods. Despite his ascent to superstardom, most people see him as part of a duo with Jaylen Brown. The latter is still a fantastic player, proven by his Finals MVP and Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2024.
Despite this success, people still overlook Brown for his achievements with the Celtics. He is a legitimate star who can carry the team when needed. With Tatum out for an extended period due to an Achilles injury, Brown is in charge as the team’s star.
Bob Cousy, one of the Celtics’ all-time greats, does not think Brown has what it takes to be a superstar.
As a player who won six championships with the Celtics, Cousy knows what it takes to win. For the iconic point guard, he believes Boston won’t win a title without Tatum. That is a valid opinion, considering Tatum has been the team’s best player over the years.
However, Cousy feels the team is not in the best place, especially with Brown as the lone star. He respects the 2024 Finals MVP, but Cousy does not see him carrying the Celtics in the 2025-26 season. Tatum has done so, which has led some to believe Brown can’t do the same.
“In my judgment, Jaylen is not quite at the superstar level that Tatum is at. Can he carry the load by himself? I see a major rebuilding effort here. Jaylen certainly won’t bring them to the promised land,” Cousy said to the Boston Globe.
“Derrick White’s a good player and he’ll produce and he’ll be consistent, but his game doesn’t lend itself to carrying a team.”
The Celtics will play a weird 2025-26 season as they compete in the Eastern Conference. Although it is not as stacked as the Western Conference, the Celtics can still make an impact. They are not favorites, but Brown and Derrick White are ready to lead the team despite all the critics.
Apart from his criticism of Brown, Cousy also took a shot at the Celtics organization. He feels they are not in the right place, especially with their mentality. The Celtics lost to the Knicks in the 2024 Playoffs. New York did not have the best team, which Cousy made sure to discuss.
Cousy felt that the Knicks were not the real deal, so losing to them was embarrassing. The Celtics legend voiced his frustration about how the team approached that series.
“You have to be there to have a sense of what’s going on, and I’m not. I get the impression that Mazzulla did a good job and had their attention,” Cousy continued.
“But in the playoffs, in my experience, the best team wins. There are upsets occasionally, but I have no understanding of how the Celtics could collapse, especially against the Knicks. As the Knicks proved in the next round, they were not a legitimate contender.”
Boston always has high standards when it comes to its teams. Cousy has the same lofty standards, so he wants the team to do well. Not having Tatum is significant, as they don’t have their superstar player.
Some might feel Brown could still lead the team, but Cousy does not see that. Expectations are low for the Celtics in the 2025-26 season, which could lead to them surprising people. This should be a motivator for Brown, as he wants people to respect him.
