Jaylen Brown worked out with Jimmy Butler in the summer before his rookie season. The Boston Celtics envision Brown growing into a similar scoring wing as Butler has over the past few seasons.

“Just his competitive spirit, man. I love that,” Butler said. “He always wants to get better. He’s always [willing] to learn. He’ll ask all the questions that he needs to ask to get the answers that I have, and if I don’t have them, I’ll ask somebody. He’s just a true student of the game.”

 

Brown was the third overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft out of Cal.

“Obviously he’s athletic, he can play, and he’s super smart,” Butler said. “He’s going to be a hell of a player. I think he knows where the game can take him. He’s incredibly smart and he’ll let you know that. Sometimes the kid’s too smart for his own good, like I was telling him over the summer."

“His dumb hair, I think that’s what it was,” Butler said. “I was like, ‘Man, you’re uglier than I am with that hair.’ So I’ve got to hang out with ugly people to make me look a little cuter.”

Brown consulted Butler’s personal trainer and weight conditioner.

“I think the thing that really attracted me to him was really his competitive spirit,” Butler said. “In everything we did, he always wanted to go up against me, and I commend that and respect it. Because the only way you’re going to get better is if you go at the better people in the workout.”