“He’s not at that level” – Bob Ryan predicts Jaylen Brown can only lead the Celtics to a Play-In spot next season originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The 2025-26 season is suddenly shaping up to be a potential downward year for the Boston Celtics, primarily due to the absence of Jayson Tatum, who is expected to miss significant time while recovering from an Achilles tear. With JT sidelined, Jaylen Brown will be looked upon as the team’s leader on a daily basis.
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However, as much as optimism will be essential, NBA analyst and Celtics reporter Bob Ryan firmly believes the C’s will not contend for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference under Brown’s leadership.
Ryan isn’t too optimistic about Brown leading the Celtics
JB is undoubtedly one of the most versatile scorers of his generation, having averaged 20+ points over the past six seasons and earning four All-Star nods in that span. Yet, as Ryan pointed out, those numbers came in circumstances where opposing defenders prioritized stopping Tatum, not Brown. With JT drawing the bulk of the defensive attention, the latter had the freedom to play more aggressively. However, such days of leverage are over for now.
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Unsurprisingly, now that the Celtics’ core no longer has battle-tested players like Jrue Holiday, Ryan urged that Brown’s ability to carry the team as its definitive leader should not be held against sky-high hopes. Speaking on his podcast, Bob admitted that while the reality might sound harsh, it is better for everyone to confront the truth beforehand, from a more realistic standpoint.
“I like him, he’s fine. He’s a wonderful player. There’s a level of hierarchy in all sports. He’s at the next level, the very good level. But he’s not at that level, I don’t think. Just a chance to prove everybody wrong,” Ryan said. “I think they’re going to be lucky to be in that seven (or) eight mix.
The East no longer belongs to the Celtics
While the Western Conference picture has endured shifting balances of power, over the past five years, Boston has consistently been at the pinnacle of dominance in the Eastern Conference, often securing the No. 1 seed in the regular season. However, this year poses an entirely different challenge.
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Young teams like the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons are establishing themselves as rising contenders. At the same time, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers appear more complete with star power and depth, but the Celtics seem out of the picture. Even teams considered underdogs, such as the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, possess the mentality and resilience to push opponents to the limit. For Brown, this means that instilling fear and commanding respect from rivals may prove more difficult than ever before.
However, this narrative can be completely flipped if Brown brings a different facet of his game that fans haven’t seen before in his first nine years. Not only will JB be required to register a career-best year, but if he wants to command respect as a leader, Jaylen needs to bring out the best in his teammates as well.
While the ask is tough, Brown is well aware that the 2025-26 season will be the most challenging one for him in his brief NBA career. However, it is also an opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared.