Bob Cousy in 2022 Christine Peterson/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK

Celtics Legend Bob Cousy Casts Shade on Jaylen Brown

Originally posted on Cal Bears on SI | By Jeff Faraudo | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 4:12 PM ET

First of all, I am not here to be critical of Bob Cousy. He was one of the first great players in the NBA, a 13-time All-Star, an MVP and a Hall of Famer. He won six NBA titles as floor leader of the Boston Celtics.

By all accounts, he also is comfortable sharing his candid opinion on things, even at the age of 97.

He did that this week in an interview with Dan Shaughnessy for the Boston Globe, suggesting that former Cal star Jaylen Brown is not equipped to carry the Celtics to an NBA title this season without six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum, out with a torn Achilles tendon.

“In my judgment, Jaylen is not quite at the superstar level that Tatum is at,” Cousy told Shaughnessy. “Can he carry the load by himself?”

In the wake of Tatum’s injury, in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Celtics dismantled their roster this offseason. To avoid salary cap issues in a season where they clearly don’t envision winning a title, they traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. Luke Kornet left the team as a free agent and Al Horford is expected to do the same.

“I see a major rebuilding effort here. Jaylen certainly won’t bring them to the promised land,” Cousy said. “(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.”

What Cousy failed to mention was the reality that one player — no matter how good he is -- does not win an NBA title. Wilt Chamberlain proved this repeatedly, and he averaged 50 points a game one season.

Cousy’s own history provides a roadmap to that conclusion. He was an All-Star each of his first six seasons in league but the Celtics never reached the NBA Finals during that period.

Beginning in 1956-57, they won six titles over the next seven seasons.

What changed everything, of course, was the arrival of Bill Russell. He went on to win 11 NBA titles, including five after Cousy retired in 1963.

Brown has averaged at least 20 points per game the past six seasons and was MVP of the 2024 NBA Finals after the Celtics won their 18th championship.

No one will be surprised if he posts a career-high scoring average this season as the Celtics try to generate offense without five players who gave them 54 points per game last season.

Cousy never won an NBA championship without Russell, and Brown isn’t likely to win one this season without Tatum. That’s not a knock on either player.

This article first appeared on Cal Bears on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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