The Boston Celtics are expected to have a strange 2025-26 season without superstar Jason Tatum. It’s time for Jalen Brown to step up, but Celtics icon Bob Kawi feels Brown isn’t good enough.
Jason Tatum is the Boston Celtics’ biggest star, proven by his four All-NBA first-team nods. Despite his rise to Superstarm, most view him as part of a duo with Jalen Brown. The latter remains a great player, proven by his final MVP and Eastern Conference Finals MVP in 2024.
Despite this success, people overlook Brown because of their achievements with the Celtics. He is a legitimate star who can carry his team whenever he needs to. Brown is in charge of the team as Tatum has been out for a long time due to Achilles’ injury.
Bob Coocy, one of the greatest Celtics ever, doesn’t think Brown has what he needs to become a superstar.
As a player who won six championships with the Celtics, Cousy knows what it takes to win. For the iconic point guard, he believes Boston won’t win the title without Tatum. That’s a valid opinion given that Tatum has been the best player on the team for many years.
But Cousy feels his team isn’t in the best place. Brown in particular is a lonely star. He respects the 2024 Finals MVP, but Cousy hasn’t seen carrying the Celtics in the 2025-26 season. Tatum did.
“In my judgment, Jalen is not at the superstar level where Tatum is. Can he carry the load himself? I can see a big reconstruction effort here. Jalen certainly won’t take them to the promised land.”
“Derrick White is a good player, he produces and he’s consistent, but his game doesn’t help carry the team.”
The Celtics will play the odd 2025-26 season when they compete in the Eastern Conference. Though it doesn’t stack up as well as the Western Conference, the Celtics can still have an impact. They’re not their favorites, but Brown and Derrick White are ready to lead the team despite all the critics.
Aside from his criticism of Brown, Cousy also took a shot in the Celtics organization. He feels they are not in the right place. Especially in their way of thinking. The Celtics lost to the Knicks in the 2024 playoffs. New York didn’t have the best team.
Cousy felt that the Knicks weren’t a real deal, so it was embarrassing to lose to them. The Celtics legend has expressed his dissatisfaction with how the team approached the series.
“You have to be there to feel what’s going on. I’m not. I get the impression that Mazzola did a good job and paid attention,” continued Cousy.
“But in the playoffs, in my experience, the best team wins. There’s sometimes confusion, but I don’t understand how the Celtics collapse, especially against the Knicks. They were not just right candidates, as the Knicks proved in the next round. ”
Boston has always had a high standard when it comes to teams. Cousy has the same lofty standards, so he wants to do well with his team. It’s important not to have a Tatum. Because they don’t have a superstar player.
Some may feel that Brown can still lead the team, but Cousy hasn’t seen it. The Celtics’ expectations for the 2025-26 season are low, which could lead to amazing people. This should be a motivation for Brown, as he wants people to respect him.