Jaylen Brown displays on ‘wonderful’ Abu Dhabi expertise with Celtics

Jaylen Brown displays on ‘wonderful’ Abu Dhabi expertise with Celtics initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston

The Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets helped develop the game of basketball and the NBA model in Abu Dhabi this week by taking part in two preseason video games and participating in a number of occasions.

Jaylen Brown helped lead the cost in these efforts, and he placed on a present Sunday within the second of the 2 preseason matchups.

The reigning NBA Finals MVP led all scorers with 21 factors on 8-of-16 taking pictures, together with three assists and one rebound in 23 minutes as Boston cruised to a powerful 130-104 win at Etihad Area.

Brown talked to NBC Sports activities Boston’s Chris Forsberg postgame about what the expertise in Abu Dhabi meant to him.

“I believe it was wonderful, globalizing the game,” Brown stated, as seen within the video participant above. “Clearly, the Center East is engaged on a bunch of tasks to convey sport and leisure to this space.

“So the truth that we’re capable of be right here and have enjoyable and convey the sport collectively to totally different locations on the earth, I believe that is the fantastic thing about sports activities — to have the ability to convey locations collectively. So a bunch of individuals below one roof watching the sport having fun with it, I believe it is all good spirits.”

Brown enjoys taking part in a task in serving to develop the game to totally different areas all over the world, together with the Center East.

“I’ve spent a while over right here,” Brown informed Forsberg. “So to me, it is private and I get pleasure from and I respect all of the individuals I’ve been capable of make relationships with right here within the Center East. Right here in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh and Bahrain, additionally Qatar and different locations as effectively. In order I proceed to develop, being like an envoy of the game is one thing I sit up for being.”

Brown, as an enormous soccer fan, was excited to satisfy Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, in addition to Barcelona legends Ronaldinho and Gerard Pique, whereas the Celtics had been in Abu Dhabi. It was a cool expertise for the C’s star.

“I imply, first, Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho are my favourite gamers of all time, so for them each to be right here, each to be sporting Celtics gear and each to take an image of me was loopy,” Brown stated. “And Gerard Pique, I grew up as a Barcelona fan earlier than one in all my mentors transformed me to Arsenal. However Pique is a legend — one of many best defenders of all time.

“These are folks that I grew up being impressed by. So to have all of them collectively sporting Celtics jerseys and all taking an image with me, it was like — the little child within me was as pleased as I could be.”

Brown and the Celtics will fly dwelling to Boston and have virtually every week to relaxation and put together for his or her subsequent preseason recreation, which is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 12 towards the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Backyard.