Some raised their eyebrows when Jaylen Brown mentioned the "sacrifice" he's made playing alongside Jayson Tatum and accepting his role as the Boston Celtics' No. 2.
But former Celtic Eddie House took Brown's comments in a positive light, and believes Brown's words reveal a mentality that helped House's C's win an NBA championship in 2008.
"Look at how Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were able to sacrifice egos and all those things to get a championship, to play for multiple championships," House said Monday night on NBC Sports Boston, as seen in the video above. "So, it's nothing wrong with that. It's not a slight on that. (Brown) understands how good he is. He's an All-Star and a well-deserved All-Star. He is a big part of what the Celtics do."
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What Tatum and Brown said about their 1-on-1 battle at All-Star Game
Just as Garnett, Pierce and Allen agreed to prioritize winning over personal recognition during that 2007-08 campaign, Tatum and Brown have both said they're solely focused on doing whatever it takes to win Banner 18 after falling short in last year's NBA Finals.
That mindset has spread throughout the locker room, and as House recalls, it bears a resemblance to the motto of "Ubuntu" -- a Nguni Bantu philosophy of togetherness that roughly translates to "I am because we are" -- that the 2007-08 Celtics embraced en route to an NBA title.
"When you look at it, it's no slight that, yeah, Jayson Tatum is out here balling and he's the face but right there -- (Tatum) won't be as great as he is if I'm not as great as I am," House said of Brown. "That's the old 'Ubuntu' (mindset).
"That's where we all go back to Ubuntu, and that's why it's a great way to live, it's a great philosophy. I think that that's a way of him embracing it and saying Ubuntu without him actually saying it."
Put another way, Brown understands that for the Celtics to be the best versions of themselves, he needs to let Tatum thrive in that No. 1 role while starring as one of the best No. 2 options in the league.
That strategy has paid huge dividends for Boston of late, as Tatum (30.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game) and Brown (26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game) are both averaging career highs in nearly every statistical category for a Celtics team that boasts the best record in the NBA at the All-Star break.
Boston Celtics
Tatum and Brown have come a long way in their six seasons as teammates, and it appears they've found a way to not only coexist but thrive together as leaders in Boston.