Boston Celtics standout Jaylen Brown is paying tribute to another player as his team celebrates its NBA victory. Brown paid honour to Terrence Clarke, the late Kentucky basketball star, during the Celtics parade. Clarke died in an auto accident in 2021.
During the procession, the Celtics star held out a Celtics jersey with the name Clarke on it. Brown made a genuinely classy gesture. The two guys did not play together in the NBA, but Brown clearly has strong recollections and feelings for the late guard. Brown also donned Clarke’s high school basketball jersey to this year’s All-Star Weekend events.
Clarke played one season for Kentucky basketball before entering the NBA Draft in 2021. He expected to get drafted and worked hard to be a lottery pick. He averaged slightly under ten points per game at Kentucky but only played in eight games. He was hampered by an ankle ailment that year, which reduced his playing time. Clarke was one of several one-and-done players at Kentucky who played for John Calipari.
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It’s interesting to watch Jaylen Brown exhibit so much affection for Clarke. Brown did not play with Clarke in the NBA, but he certainly admired him. Brown played for California basketball and joined the league in 2016. As a result, the two players did not get the opportunity to face off in college. Clarke spent the 2020-2021 season with the Kentucky basketball team.
Brown helped the Celtics win the NBA Championship this season. He was named the Finals’ MVP. The three-time NBA All-Star has played his entire career in Boston, averaging 19 points and shooting 48 percent from the field. He has helped the team make two NBA Finals trips.
The two players have several things in common. Both were one-time collegiate stars. Both players were likely first round draft picks in the NBA. Brown was taken third overall by the Celtics in the 2016 draft, and Clarke was working his way into that position. Both guys played the shooting guard position. Both athletes were McDonald’s All-Americans when they started college. Brown was a member of the 2015 group, while Clark received the honour five years later.
Brown may believe Clarke will choose Boston in the 2021 draft. It would have been great to see the two players running the floor together. Clarke was a 6-foot-8 shooting guard at Kentucky. Brown is shorter but has more strength to his frame, at 223 pounds. Clarke clocked in at 195, so the two players had different strengths on the court. It would have been fun to see them play together or go up against each other.
Celtics fans certainly appreciate seeing this sentimental side of Jaylen Brown.