Jaylen Brown talks free-throws, new 741 release, and which Harry Potter house he belongs in
The Celtics forward discussed his brand, his career-year at the line, and his Harry Potter fandom.
Jaylen Brown was talking about magic during practice at the Auerbach Center on Wednesday, and it wasn’t the kind that has to do with a basketball team from Orlando.
Brown recently checked out Harry Potter: The Exhibition at the Cambridgeside Galleria mall. The exhibit, which allows fans of the movie series to relive some of their favorite scenes with authentic props, costumes, and cutting-edge technology, was a “top-tier” experience, Brown said.
The series’ first film, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was released in 2001, when Brown was five years old. He was a teenager when the two-part film finale “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” came out. Brown said he has read four of the seven books in the series, and has seen all of the movies.
“I was a big fan,” Brown said. “I love to share with my younger nieces and nephews coming up and pass along the same joy that I had. It was pretty cool.”
Brown said he enjoyed seeing the four houses from the magical school Hogwarts — Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin — during the exhibit. If Brown had to be sorted into one of the houses, he said, it would be Slytherin. Slytherin students are known for their cunning, ambition, pride, and shrewdness; not unlike the Celtics, the primary color that represents the house is green.
Most of the series’ main antagonists were in the Slytherin house. Potter was in the rival Gryffindor house.
“I’m house Slytherin by the way,” Brown said. “You don’t see it? Nah. Team Slytherin.”
Brown, who won his first NBA championship with the Celtics last year, said that he would have led Slytherin to a title in quidditch, the fictional sport that Potter competed in during the series.
“I would have been a Quidditch All-American for sure,” Brown said. “Would have helped lead our team to a championship.”
New merch from 741
Brown’s performance brand, 741, is scheduled to release new apparel products at 7:41 p.m. on Wednesday according to its website.
Brown posted a sneak-peek on X on Tuesday.
“I think people kind of understand the theme that I’m going for now that they see the shoes and the clothes all coming together,” Brown said. “I love science fiction, I love futurism so I thought to express myself creatively through that would be cool and also bring a new spark back to the design. Looking forward to just building off of that over the years.”
Brown said launching the brand has been “a joy.” The reigning NBA Finals MVP has appreciated flexibility he has to take a hands on approach.
“It’s almost like you’re getting your music directly from the musician instead of the labels,” Brown said. “You’re getting it straight from the artist. I designed everything, I’ve been a part of everything.
“So if you guys support, you’re supporting independence, creativity, and ownership. It’s been fun. I look forward to doing a lot of stuff, integrating science, integrating technology also into it so kids can learn as well as being a part of the creative process.”
Emphasizing the line
Brown has been getting to the free-throw line more than he ever has this season.
He’s averaging a career-high 6.6 free-throw attempts per game. He’s averaging more made free-throws per game (5.1) this season than his career average in attempts (3.8).
“I’m stronger, I’m more physical, I’m faster, so I’ve been using my body. I’ve been screening better and getting to the paint,” he said. “That’s led to me shooting a lot more free-throws. We have a lot of 3-point shooters on our team so I try to be the guy that’s getting into the paint, getting a paint touch before we get a three.”
So far, he’s shooting 76.2 percent from the charity stripe, a number that he has only topped once over the course of a full season.
“Just trying to improve in all facets of my game,” Brown said. “Just all my weaknesses and things that people perceive as weaknesses and improve on them. Keep getting better and better.”
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