It’s official: the Boston Celtics are the 2024 NBA Championship winners! As a fan, I can’t tell you how great it feels to be able to say that. Their 4-1 series win marks a moment of pride not only for the city as a whole but of course, also for the players involved. Someone who should be particularly proud is Jaylen Brown, who not only helped lead his team to victory but was also named Finals MVP. In the aftermath of this title win, I can’t help but be happy for Brown, and I also can’t stop thinking of the fun way he got ready for the series. You may not believe it, but his preparation involved an A+ movie franchise.
Don’t be totally mistaken here, as the three-time All Star likely did spend some time in the gym working on his craft before the Finals began on June 6. He did, however, need some time to decompress based on the comments he shared with Good Morning America. At the time, the fan-favorite player revealed that his teammates spent time with their families in the lead-up to the series. And, while the newly christened champion doesn’t have a wife or kids himself, he did find comfort in a great series of films that some might describe as “magical”:
You know, a lot of our guys probably spent time with their family and stuff like that. But you know, I don’t have a family. I’m single, so I’ve been binge-watching Harry Potter.
Fans might’ve been tempted to assume that Jaylen Brown watched some of the best sports movies in order to prepare for the NBA Finals. But now that I know he spent his downtime checking out the Wizarding World films, I’m delighted to no end. It can be a cool feeling when you find out that a celebrity you admire shares one of your interests. Quite frankly, I just can’t get this information out of my head now, and I’d love to hear Brown breakdown each of the eight main films in the saga. He didn’t do that in the TikTok video, but he did reveal the character from the franchise that he most identifies with:
I’m a huge fan of Dumbledore. … Maybe Hermione, I think I resonate with her, too. … She’s also the one that just keeps everybody on track. She’s the one that gets stuff done, too. So like, that’s me. Like, ‘We gotta get this done. I’m not waiting ‘till the last minute. You got an assignment, we’re gonna get it done in the first day. We’re not gonna wait ‘till the last minute.’ So it can be a little bit of that, too.
The fact that the All NBA Second Team honoree would admire Hermione Granger and identify with her definitely tracks. First off, the young wizard is incredibly clever and to use a sports phrase, has come in the clutch for Harry, Ron Weasley and their friends numerous times. There are honestly several times that characters would’ve died without Hermione’s guidance. Another reason why this comparison is perfect is because as the interviewer stated, the athlete himself is quite cerebral. On top of all that, the Harry Potter movies are just great pieces of cinema, which exude themes of heroism, loyalty and more. Those ideals and more definitely come into play when it comes to the game of basketball.
Considering that his team just won a championship, I’d venture to say that Jaylen Brown used his time wisely – whether he worked out or watched movies entirely – ahead of the Finals. With this win, he’s etched his name in the history books alongside the likes of the late Bill Russell and Bill Walton, who passed away just a few weeks ago. I’m surely not going to forget his admiration for the Potter franchise and its characters. And, like so many other Boston Celtics fans, I’m hoping that Brown can work some magic of his own on the basketball court and lead his team to more titles.
Anyone who wants to take a page out of the NBA champion’s book can grab a Max subscription and stream all eight of the Harry Potter films in order now. You can also check out the 2024 movie schedule if you’re looking for titles that are in or heading to cinemas soon.