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Tacko Fall praises Jaylen Brown, says Celtics star is ‘very disrespected’

Ex-Celtic Tacko Fall claims Jaylen Brown is ‘very disrespected’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Tacko Fall believes it’s time to give his former Boston Celtics teammate the respect he deserves.

Jaylen Brown was the subject of trade speculation for several months this offseason, as the 25-year-old reportedly was the centerpiece of an offer the Celtics made to the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant.

While that speculation ended earlier this week when the Nets announced Durant is staying in Brooklyn, some have questioned whether Brown’s talents are properly appreciated in Boston and the NBA world writ large.

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So, when asked this week about Brown being mentioned in trade reports, Fall launched a passionate defense of his ex-teammate.

“I think Jaylen is very disrespected,” Fall told Bovada’s Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. “I think he doesn’t get the praise he deserves sometimes and he’s a great player. Jaylen is nice, and for him, he’s just got to keep doing what he’s doing. He’s very focused, he’s very locked in. He knows what he wants to accomplish, and they’re doing well.”

Unlike superstar teammate Jayson Tatum, Brown failed to make the NBA All-Star team last season and struggled with ball control issues during the 2022 postseason. But Brown also led the Celtics in scoring during the NBA Finals (23.5 points per game) and made great strides as a playmaker while proving he’s one of the best two-way wings in the league.

Celtics head coach Ime Udoka and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens both reiterated their faith in Brown this offseason as rumors swirled, and Brown reportedly is eager to run it back with a C’s team that’s the current betting favorite to win the 2023 title.

Fall, who spent two seasons as Brown’s Celtics teammate from 2019 to 2021 and was a fan favorite in Boston, is confident that Brown and the C’s are on the same page.

“The outside noise doesn’t really matter. It’s what the organization thinks of him, and I know the organization thinks greatly of him,” Fall added. “And I know he loves Boston, so that’s all that matters.”

Brown’s Celtics will kick off training camp in late September, while Fall is headed overseas to play for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association after spending the 2021-22 season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.