It likely was never much of a decision for star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown when he learned what his options for a partially torn meniscus late into the 2024-25 NBA regular season, but a decision confronted him that February just the same. The Georgia native discovered that chronic knee pain that had been bothering him for several weeks was in fact more than just an inflamed tendon or a muscle impingement.
Brown was dealing with a meniscus tear that likely required a surgical intervention to fix, and that intervention either needed to happen immediately — or after the postseason that was fast approaching. With his potential recovery time unclear so close to the postseason (an ambitious return time would have placed him back on the court somewhere near the start of the first round) and the Celtics still hoping to defend their title successfully, Brown elected to tough out what remained of the regular season and the playoffs.
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“I had the option either to get surgery right away or just manage it, get through the season, and get through the playoffs,” he recounted via the Sporting News’ Itiel Estudillo.
May 14, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) shoots a free throw in the second half during game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
“It happened too late into the season that I didn’t have a choice,” continued the star Celtics forward. “Because I’m not going to miss the playoffs for nothing. So, we grinded through it.”
Ultimately, it proved for naught when costar on the wing Jayson Tatum went down in the 2025 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals second round vs. the New York Knicks. But the admission clears up a lot of the fog surrounding what exactly was going on with Brown’s knee late last season. It also shines a light on the lengths these stars will go through to stay on the court.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Jaylen Brown on decisions his knee injury forced him to face in ’24-25